Long Island Forum for Technology and Department of Homeland Security Initiative Gets New Space on Lunar Site

BETHPAGE, N.Y., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT), a non-profit economic development organization for technology-driven growth, today announced the unveiling of The Morrelly Homeland Security Center, a first of its kind public-private partnership project that will provide local government and first responders with a state-of-the-art facility to accelerate local innovation and act as a control center in the event of a regional crisis. Research partners in the center will fulfill the need for complex information sharing, standards and processes across the local government agencies that will be in residence. A formal dedication ceremony, with a keynote from esteemed New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano and public luminaries such as Senator Dean Skelos, will take place on-site, Friday, March 5, in Bethpage, N.Y.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100301/NY62455 )

The 90,000 square foot Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) systems structure has its own history of innovation having been the former Grumman Plant 5 and situated in the historic Lunar Module Campus. The Morrelly Homeland Security Center is the first of its kind with a public-private partnership that will work collaboratively to develop innovative and integrated homeland security and defense technological solutions with some of the top names in the industry as residents: Northrop Grumman, Siemens Enterprise Communications, Globecomm Systems, AFCO Systems, Applied Visions, Retlif Testing Laboratories, Balfour Technologies, Power Management Concepts, Strategic Planning Partners, LLC and with the Polytechnic Institute of New York University playing a key role as the leading academic partner. The center boasts state-of-the-art technology, including data, unified communications and infrastructure solutions from Siemens Enterprise Communications that allow the center to double as a "command and control" hub with a common operating picture for the state of New York and East Coast region.

In addition, The Morrelly Homeland Security Center has broadband satellite connections to the continental United States, a simulation lab and a digital theater with ultra high-tech, flexible touch tables for an agile command center. It also includes an auditorium with broadband video capabilities for virtual centers, visualization labs for cyber security concepts, as well as product testing and evaluation facilities for new system engineering and certification programs.

"This center is the culmination of Phil Teel, former Long Island head of Northrop Grumman and the late Ken Morrelly's vision who  both knew New York could assemble its best and brightest to act as a beacon of emergency management and homeland security technological innovation," said Ray Donnelly, director of LIFT. "Our resident research partners are working together to establish best practices and develop technologies that will support our public servants and key private sector segments and ensure that they have the most innovative tools to quickly adapt to and effectively manage any situation that may come our way."

About LIFT

LIFT is a non-for-profit economic development organization working with the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). LIFT serves as NYSTAR®'s designated Regional Technology Development Center for Long Island and one of nearly 350 MEP locations across the country.

LIFT has an industry-driven initiative structure, providing Long Island businesses with networking opportunities, access to enabling technologies, hands-on assistance and a wide range of programs directed at creating an environment for innovation, lowering the cost of operations and increasing growth, focused on creating Long Island's future.

LIFT supports the defense and aerospace, medical device and healthcare, homeland security, energy, information technology and manufacturing clusters of the Long Island economy. We partner with local companies, organizations, Universities and the National Laboratory Systems.

SOURCE The Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT)