For Immediate Release-EmergencyNet NEWS Svc.-08/03/93-1100CDT EMERGENCY BBS ANNOUNCES NEW GRAPHIC INTERFACE By Paul Anderson, Municipal Correspondent Chicago, IL - Clark Staten, Executive Director of the Chicago-based Emergency Response & Research Institute, today announced that it's EMERGENCY Bulletin Board Service (BBS) will soon be the first to introduce a "mousable" Graphic User Interface (GUI) to a emergency service computer system. The system, similar in concept to several commercial services like PRODIGY (TM) and America On Line (TM), will allow EMS, Fire, and Police professionals to access the many services that EMERGENCY BBS offers in a more "user-friendly" way. EMERGENCY BBS will be offering a FREE* specialized terminal program to all of it potential and registered users, that will allow them to just "point and shoot" and select their choices with their desktop mouse. The system, based on the use of the RIPscript (TM) graphics program, incorporates the use of icons, graphic intensive menus, selection "buttons", and text boxes to increase the ease of use of the system. According to Staten, this is the first reported use of such an interface within a public emergency service data retrieval system. EMERGENCY BBS was founded in January of 1991, to be used as a communications and reference tool by emergency service professionals. Since that time, it has grown into a world-wide system that is used by more than 2,000 Fire/Police/EMS/ Disaster/Medical/Media and Military professionals from fourteen (14) countries and all fifty states. Recently, the system was moved to a faster Intel-based 80486 computer in order to meet the increasing demand for both speed and reliability. A total of four phone lines have been added to ensure constant availability. Two 9600bps V.42 modems and one 14,400bps modem were added within the past year to allow users a choice of communications options and modem speeds. More than 1,400 emergency specific articles, files, and executable programs are available for download from the system. Specialty libraries have been created for Firefighters, Law Enforcement Officers, EMTs and Paramedics, Disaster Specialists, Physicians and Nursing personnel, Dive Rescue, and Special and Heavy Rescue, to name a few. The system allows keyword and topic searches to be performed on-line, and should serve as a valuable resource for those conducting research on the emergency services topics. A unique feature, available nowhere else, is that EMERGENCY BBS is the electronic "Home of the EMERGENCYNET NEWS SERVICE". EMERGENCYNET NEWS is dedicated to providing news and current reference information for and about emergency responders. EMERGENCYNET NEWS reports on on-going disasters throughout the world, often within twenty-four (24) hours of their occurrence. These "Instant Updates" are then made available in a special library on EMERGENCY BBS. EMERGENCYNET NEWS also conducts research and gathers information for periodic "Feature Stories", which are also "electronically published". Both the Instant Updates and Features are also available by subscription and sent by immediate Fax transmission or slower U.S. Mail. EMERGENCYNET NEWS is currently electronically distributed to more than fifty (50) major metropolitan newspapers, ten (10) radio and television stations, fifty-five (55) other computer bulletin board systems, and ten major emergency service publications. Current subscribers include Canada's EMERGENCY PREHOSPITAL MEDICINE, England's FIRE & RESCUE, MUNICIPAL, America's EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, FIREFIGHTER'S NEWS, RESCUE/EMS MAGAZINE, NBC News-Channel 4-New York, Medical College of New Jersey, the Atlanta Fire Department, City of St. Louis EMS, and numerous smaller companies and private individuals. To obtain more information regarding these unique services, or to get your FREE* computer terminal communications program, please write or call: Emergency Response & Research Institute C/O Clark Staten, Executive Director 5656 North Moody Street Chicago, Illinois 60646 (312) 631-1101 - Voice/Voice Mail (312) 631-4703 - Fax (312) 631-3467 - Computer/Modem-2400bps (312) 631-3950 - " " 9600bps (312) 631-0987 - " " 9600bps (312) 631-0517 - " " 14,400bps (* Editor's note - A custom terminal communications program can be downloaded at no charge; however, a nominal postage and handling fee of $2.50 will be charged to all requesting the program by mail)