Innovation Award categories include Best Wireless Residential Installation, Best Wireless Commercial Burglary Installation, Best Wireless Commercial Fire Installation, Most Innovative Use of Wireless Technology, Best Residential Integration System, and Best Commercial Integration System.

Digilarm Security Systems of Tinley Park, IL, took the Grand Prize in the 2003 Innovation Awards contest. Digilarm's installation at the 1,000,000-square foot Sweetheart Cup Company (described below) took the top prize among all entries. In addition to the benefits received by all winners, Digilarm Security Systems will be featured in a GE Interlogix print advertisement.

Best Wireless Residential Installation
Winner - Fire, Burglary Alarms, Inc., Rockville, MD
This installation was at The Ambassador, a historic apartment complex in downtown Washington, D.C. that has been converted into 33 upscale condominiums. A Concord Express system protects and preserves the building. It was chosen for each unit due to its reliable wireless capability and dedicated wireless frequency. Sensors for motion, smoke, carbon monoxide, doors and windows protect residents from intrusion, environmental hazards, and fire. In addition to securing each unit, GE Interlogix CCTV and digital recording provide outside video surveillance.

Merit Award - Digilarm Security Systems, Tinley Park, IL
An Advent Home Navigator system protects a residence that totals almost 7,000 square feet. In addition to the house, the property includes a detached multiple car extended garage with second floor office space, which is adjoined by a bridged hallway from the second floor of the house. Digilarm installed 16 door/window sensors, 4 motion sensors, and 2 freeze and water sensors in the house and garage. Seven door/window sensors and 2 motion sensors secure the office area, and the job required 10 smoke/heat sensors. Without Advent, installers would have spent days running wires between the garage and house. And considering the unique design of the home, the addition of sensors in the future would have been impossible with a hardwire system.

Best Wireless Commercial Burglary Installation
Winner - Digilarm Security Systems, Tinley Park, IL
An Advent Commercial system secures the 1,000,000-square foot warehouse distribution facility for Sweetheart Cup Company. The facility needed full perimeter protection, which consisted of 3 employee entry doors, 21 emergency service doors, 79 overhead dock doors, and 4 office doors. The project also required a system to protect all the perimeter entry points as well as the office area. Digilarm installed a total of 107 wireless security components, and this massive facility was fully secured by running just four wires. Advent was able to overcome the facility's range and environmental challenges, and meet the need for partitioning.

Merit Award - Custom Alarm, Rochester, MN
A Concord system secures the Steele County Courthouse in Owatonna, MN, where reliability is a top priority. Signals must be received in the judge's chambers as well as the courtrooms. The courthouse is a four-story brick and concrete building with 18-24-inch thick walls. Preserving the building's architecture and integrity was also an important factor. Installing a hardwire system would have been impractical.

Best Wireless Commercial Fire Installation
Winner - Certified Security Systems, Spokane, WA
An Advent Fire system protects the Campbell House, which, built in 1914, was one of the Spokane area's first concrete and brick mansions. The mansion serves as the regional office of the Spokane Episcopal Diocese. It is four stories tall, and the walls and floors are constructed of four-inch concrete. The diocese needed security and fire protection for its regional office, and Advent Fire does the job for the customer.

Merit Award - Guardian Security of NC, Lincolnton, NC
This Advent Fire installation at the Boger City Volunteer Fire Department provides state of the art fire protection in the department's new facility. The wireless system includes pull stations, smoke detectors, heat detectors, duct detectors, and valve tampers, with a total of 55 zones. Guardian Security donated the system, labor, and materials, which allowed the fire department to use its resources for other areas of the new station.

Most Innovative Use of Wireless Technology

Winner - American Detection Specialists, Springfield, MO
This Concord/UltraGard system was installed at a senior citizen retirement complex, which encompasses a 6-block area. The customer's primary concerns were for fire and medical emergency. In addition to 37 smoke detectors, the system also includes 17 portable panic buttons, which allow elderly residents to take walks but still have the ability to call for help should an emergency occur. A hardwire system would not have given residents the freedom provided by wireless.

Best Commercial Integration System
Winner - Security Systems of America, Pittsburgh, PA
After 9/11, the City of New Kensington ordered that its water treatment facility needed protection from the possibility of terrorist activity.  In addition to complete perimeter protection of the main water treatment facility, protection of storage tanks, ladders, hatches and control structures at nine separate locations was also needed. Advent and Concord control panels were chosen for their interoperability, high zone capacity, and immunity to the extreme high voltage from the site's substation and the EMF (electro-magnetic field) caused by the massive pumps and motors. Video surveillance, with digital recording and access control, was also integrated into the system. All of the water treatment stations can be remotely armed/disarmed with associated opening/closing reporting. The GE security system provides simultaneous monitoring and control of all points of entry from the four remote locations using a combination of dial-up telephone line and DSL services.

About GE Interlogix, Inc.
GE Interlogix, part of GE Industrial Systems, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) focused on communication and information technologies for security, safety and lifestyle enhancements. GE Interlogix has operations in more than 25 countries and is represented by some of the best-known brand names for intrusion and fire detection, access and building control, video surveillance, explosive and drug detection, key management and structured wiring. For more information about GE Interlogix and our product offerings, please visit www.GE-Interlogix.com.

For more information on and photographs of GE Interlogix products that help protect people, property and workplaces, visit http://www.geindustrial.com/presscenter/pressroom.htm or contact:

Steve Craig
Marketing Communications Director
GE Interlogix
Tel: 651-779-4843
Fax: 651-773-2247
steve.craig@GE.com