WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chesapeake Crescent Initiative (CCI), a public-private collaborative founded six years ago to support technological innovation, is leading a "Safe + Smart Cities" coalition to help cities optimize their operational performance and harden their resiliency through the efficient use of technology. The coalition has selected Newark, Delaware for its first pilot.  

CCI has assembled a group of world-class experts from technology industries, academia, government, non-governmental organizations, the law, and the financial sector to provide pro-bono expertise and recommendations to selected municipalities in the mid-Atlantic region of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. The recommendations are intended to help visionary urban communities achieve or exceed their "safe and smart" objectives while also increasing global competitiveness, sustaining regional economic growth, and improving citizens' lives.

CCI selected Newark, home to the University of Delaware, for its initial pilot due to both local and state-level visionary leadership. Delaware Governor Jack Markell, a member of the President's Task Force on Climate Change, issued his own Executive Order on climate change and resiliency last year. The City of Newark has championed progressive, citizen-focused initiatives designed to improve community services, such as the installation of smart energy and water meters.

"This project provides a tremendous opportunity for the City of Newark to build on our state's efforts to both operate more efficiently and to enhance our resiliency so we mitigate the damage of disaster situations before they happen," said Governor Markell. "The strategies developed as a result of this effort will allow us to maximize our limited resources in a way that best serves the citizens of Delaware."

"Newark, Delaware is honored to serve as the first pilot community for the Safe + Smart Cities coalition," said Newark City Manager Carol Houck.  "My staff and I are looking forward to participating in this collaborative process and we are cognizant of the tangible benefits to be derived from the opportunity."

Participants in the coalition include: The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; the law firm Holland & Knight; Virginia Tech; the University of Maryland; the University of Delaware; Cisco; Schneider Electric; AtHoc; Verint Systems; Priority 5; and National Standard Finance. Learn more at: http://www.chesapeakecrescent.org/.

SOURCE The Chesapeake Crescent Initiative