Chemical stockpile program purchases 51 TDS Recons for real-time communication in emergencies and finds a wide range of other day-to-day uses.

Tripod Data Systems (TDS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Trimble, sold 51 of its rugged TDS Recon(TM) handheld computers to Morrow County, Oregon's Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). The Recons were purchased for use by emergency personnel in the case of a hazardous chemical release.

CSEPP was formed to protect the public and the environment in potential emergency situations related to the chemical stockpile, located in a lightly populated portion of northeast Oregon. In an emergency the Recon, which runs Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PCs, allows first responders in the field to obtain real-time information from the central command center, including plume maps, injury reports, response plan details and locations of people in need of help. At the same time, the Recon's two-way communication and GPS functions let the central command center know where the response personnel are in the field.