LinksPoint provided its GlobalPoint GPS™ Receivers and software to be used in emergency sample collection and tracking in an application similar to the solution the company deployed for evidence tracking at Ground Zero by the FDNY. 

LinksPoint provided its technology to the CDC in partnership with the CDC Foundation under a $3.9 million pledge from Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus to equip the new emergency operations center. 

At the dedication ceremony for the center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson read a letter from President Bush praising Marcus, LinksPoint and the other companies who participated, "for an important contribution to strengthening the health and security of the country.'' 

CDC's Marcus Emergency Operations Center became fully operational in March. The center was recently activated to assist in the global investigation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which has sickened several hundred people worldwide. 

"The technologies available to scientists working in the operations center are truly cutting edge," said Charles Stokes, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation in comments released in association with the dedication. "Bernie Marcus had remarkable vision when he and the Marcus Foundation stepped forward to help equip the center. The Marcus Foundation gift, along with the generous contributions of the corporate partners, have allowed CDC to build one of the most impressive command centers in the country." 

"In the investigation of disease outbreaks from SARS, to West Nile Virus to potential bio-terror attacks, responding quickly and geographically tracking the propagation of the disease is of critical importance, " said Strite H. Potter, president of LinksPoint. "GPS technology from LinksPoint puts an important tool in the hands of CDC field investigators for collecting accurate location and attribute data in response to these threats to the community's health."

ABOUT THE CDC FOUNDATION
The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit enterprise that forges effective partnerships between CDC and others to fight threats to health and safety. For more information, visit www.cdcfoundation.org. 

ABOUT LINKSPOINT 
LinksPoint provides Location Powered Solutions™ built around three enabling technologies - Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Mobile Computing. LinksPoint helps enterprises and government agencies work more efficiently through its solutions for field data collection, vehicle tracking, navigation and inspection. LinksPoint's products are used by transportation companies, utilities and government agencies. LinksPoint technology was used by the FDNY at Ground Zero, an application that won the 2002 Exemplary System in Government Award from the Urban and Regional Information System Association (URISA) LinksPoint also designs and manufactures GPS receivers for mobile computing devices and ruggedized handheld computers. For more information, visit www.linkspoint.com.