GeoEye, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEOY) accepted an award today from Capt. Steve Lambert, commander of the Virginia State Police's Criminal Intelligence Division, which runs the Virginia Fusion Center, for the company’s preparation, response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Irene. The center houses representatives of the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as state police and other entities that work on systems critical to the general public’s safety. GeoEye and the Fusion Center have been applying geospatial predictive analytics to public safety and homeland security operations as part of a Department of Homeland Security, Research and Development project. Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell issued a commendation to recognize this partnership and to thank GeoEye for its critical support before, during and after the hurricane. Hurricane Irene made landfall in August of this year and caused millions of dollars’ worth of damage to property and infrastructure in Virginia.
Marla Graff Decker, Virginia Secretary of Public Safety, said, “GeoEye’s ability to secure immediate imagery following Hurricane Irene significantly assisted the Commonwealth with its response efforts and with assessing the threat of flooding associated with the Blackwater River and other vulnerable areas. We truly appreciate the corporate citizenship displayed by GeoEye and the support the company provided to the state’s emergency response efforts.”
