Polycom Visual Communication Helps Agencies Plan for and Swiftly Respond to Emergencies

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK and SHAWNEE MISSION, KS and
PLEASANTON, CA, Aug 17 (MARKET WIRE) --
In times of disaster or emergency, timely and effective communication
often determines the success of first responders and ongoing recovery
efforts. The crucial role visual communication increasingly plays in
those efforts will be highlighted in a special webinar hosted Tuesday by
Polycom (NASDAQ: PLCM), the global leader in telepresence, video and
voice communication solutions, along with SKC Communications, a provider
of communication and collaboration solutions, and representatives from the
Oklahoma Army National Guard.

From hurricanes and floods to pandemics and terrorist attacks, an
ever-expanding list of emergencies has prompted organizations to turn to
visual communication technologies like telepresence and video
conferencing to craft effective response plans and enable real-time
decision making. Government and military agencies, health care
organizations, and even corporations are relying on Polycom visual
communication solutions to assess critical needs and make faster decisions
through real-time interactions between central command and field
personnel.

Polycom's visual communication solutions enable organizations to:

-- Achieve substantial cost savings with distributed training programs
that enable responders to quickly hone knowledge and skills essential to
improving readiness and emergency response capabilities.
-- Create engaged partnerships that improve information sharing and
coordination across public-sector agencies, the private sector and non-
government organizations prior to and during crisis situations
-- Rapidly and accurately assess situations and produce real-time common
operational pictures, including the ability to see first responders and
better understand their stress levels, environmental conditions and morale.
-- Improve operational effectiveness by enabling leaders at all levels to
actively communicate, query and assess conditions within a rapidly changing
environment.
-- Enable confident, trusted communications between incident commanders
and responders, while engaging key leaders so they can remain in contact
with their organization from secure locations.

From Hurricanes to Flu Outbreaks, Polycom Delivers

Several government agencies already realize these benefits. The Oklahoma
Army National Guard operates a network of more than 130 Polycom systems
that equip every National Guard facility in the state. The systems have
proven essential in responding to major catastrophes, including Hurricane
Katrina in 2005.

"We had daily meetings between the folks on the ground in New Orleans and
the commanders here in Oklahoma City," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Welly
Gibson, activity manager for Visual Information and Distance Learning for
the Oklahoma Guard. "It's important that our generals and colonels here
can see the officers down range, can see the looks on their faces and
understand what they need. It makes a big difference. It's better than
phone calls and it's a lot better than radios."

Firefighters in Green Bay, Wis., use their Polycom visual communication
network to continually train city departments and prepare for potential
emergencies. The network underpins the department's Incident Command
System, a federally mandated on-scene, all-hazard incident management
infrastructure. Cost savings and productivity gains have prompted the city
to consider expanding its use of the network.

"Our approach is to first listen to customers about their needs and
challenges, and then design the solutions that best meet those needs,"
said Todd Vincent, vice president of Videoconferencing Sales at SKC
Communications, a Polycom reseller whose technology solutions enable its
clients to better collaborate, communicate and connect with their key
stakeholders. "That's particularly important in the area of disaster
preparedness and emergency response, because no two agencies or
organizations are alike. Whether it's the Oklahoma Guard or the Green Bay
Fire Department, we've provided Polycom solutions that fit how these
organizations handle planning and response, and the results speak for
themselves."

Video systems were also used to help manage the initial outbreaks of the
H1N1 flu virus. International health organizations relied on Polycom video
systems to communicate face-to-face to help determine the source of the
flu, where and how it was spreading, and effective treatments.

"Visual communication played a key role in responding to the H1N1
outbreak," said Ron Emerson, global director of Healthcare Markets at
Polycom. "Health officials in different regions were able to very rapidly
connect and exchange information in an effective way. Personal,
face-to-face communication allowed participants to quickly digest
information with confidence."

"Effective response begins with proper training and planning prior to an
incident. Once response activities commence, real-time communication
systems enable instant access to people and information to ensure that
timely and accurate decisions can be made," said Roseanne Cohen, director,
Federal Market at Polycom. "As the examples of the Oklahoma Guard, the
Green Bay Fire Department and the H1N1 outbreak response show, Polycom's
real-time collaboration solutions provide instant access to people,
information and locations. During extreme situations such as natural
disasters, terrorist threats and health care emergencies, visual
communication is essential."

Free Webinar Outlines Best Practices

At 10 a.m. Central time on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Polycom and SKC
Communications will host representatives of the Oklahoma National Guard
in a free webinar. During the online session, the Oklahoma Guard's Welly
Gibson will discuss best practices in leveraging real-time collaborative
communications to prepare for emergencies and to provide fast, efficient
and intelligent responses in crisis situations.

Webinar attendees will learn:

-- The current challenges facing governments and emerging trends in
collaborative communications that are important to protecting the public
-- How a statewide videoconferencing network is helping the Oklahoma Army
National Guard reduce costs, support first responder activities, enable
distance education and facilitate family support for deployed soldiers
-- What solutions can be used to bring key government leaders and
response teams together to analyze threats and develop a coordinated
response

To register for the Webinar, visit
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/259037346

About SKC

Located in Shawnee Mission, Kan., SKC provides technology solutions that
enable its clients to better collaborate, communicate and connect with
their key stakeholders. SKC's core businesses consist of: Plantronics
headsets, Avaya IP telephony solutions, Polycom videoconferencing systems,
audio/visual integration, conferencing phones and streaming solutions.
Visit SKC at www.skccom.com.

About Polycom

Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM) is the global leader in telepresence, video,
and voice solutions and a visionary in communications that empower people
to connect and collaborate everywhere. Visit www.polycom.com for more
information and follow us on Twitter @AllAboutPolycom.

Copyright 2009 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. POLYCOM(R), the Polycom
"Triangles" logo and the names and marks associated with Polycom's
products are trademarks and/or service marks of Polycom, Inc. and are
registered and/or common law marks in the United States and various other
countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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Contact:
Kevin Young
Polycom, Inc.
+1.925.924.5706
Email Contact

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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