Texas to get statewide citizen-evacuation system

AT&T announced a contract with the State of Texas to deliver a customized citizen-evacuation system. Dubbed the Texas Special Needs Evacuation Tracking System, or SNETS, the system uses RFID and mobile data technologies to track evacuees in the event of a disaster. During an evacuation, evacuees would be issued a bar-coded RFID wristband; each wristband will be scanned-using rugged hand-held computers provided by Motorola-as evacuees board designated buses or other vehicles, which will be tracked via GPS. Upon reaching their destination, evacuees would have their wristbands scanned again; data then would be transmitted wirelessly to the University of Texas Space Research data center, so that authorities can better respond to queries from family members regarding the whereabouts and safety of the evacuees.