Smiths Detection won an additional five-year contract by the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority to upgrade and maintain the company's PROTECT and FirstView anti-terrorism detection and software systems. PROTECT and FirstView allow transit authorities to monitor multiple chemical warfare sensors, distribute command and control responsibilities among agencies and integrate WMATA's hundreds of cameras into a manageable system. The upgrade will include expanded chemical detection libraries and radiological detection capabilities.

Jamie Edgar, vice President, smiths Detection, said: "We are pleased with the success of PROTECT and FirstView, which are designed to support WMATA's continued efforts to enhance public safety. These vital tools represent the premiere detection system for mass transit security giving subway operators, first responders and law enforcement personnel the capabilities they need to protect and save lives."

PROTECT, which stands for the Program for Response Options and Technology Enhancements for Chemical/Biological Terrorism, is designed to counter terrorist attacks by providing early warning chemical detection and response protocols for safeguarding public locations. It provides emergency responders accurate information and real-time modeling of hazard zones in large public spaces, significantly reducing emergency response times.

FirstView is a command and control sensor and video integration management system used to control and coordinate thousands of separate cameras and detection devices. It is used in multiple WMATA locations for networked CCTV viewing and digital video recording.