PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 6, 2004 -- Boston firefighters will now have access to critical, life-saving information at the scene of a fire when using a new mobile computing technology solution implemented by HP.

Boston Fire Department officials and HP executives today announced the Rapid Information and Early Warning System (RIEWS), which puts critical data about fire locations, building structures and hazardous materials in the hands of firefighters and on-scene commanders.

Specifically, RIEWS will:

-- Improve response time with more accurate incident and building location information;

-- Increase firefighter safety as personnel are better informed of the incident, building structures and any hazardous materials; and

-- Facilitate sharing of information with other fire departments and public safety organizations.

"In the early stages of a fire, the RIEWS system will put critical information directly in the hands of firefighters helping to increase their safety and the safety of citizens," said Jim Weynand, vice president, Public Sector - Americas, HP. "As the prime contractor of the RIEWS program, HP congratulates Boston Fire Department Chief Mager and his team for their vision to bring this innovative system to the City of Boston."

The RIEWS program is funded by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Fire Administration.

HP to lead talented team of solutions providers

HP was awarded the contract to design and implement the RIEWS mobile computing system. HP Services will oversee the project and work in cooperation with the following companies to build and deploy the entire system: Northrop Grumman Corporation, L&E Mobile Computers and Mounts (A First Services Company), AT&T Wireless, The CAD Zone, and iAnywhere Solutions.

Wireless HP nr3600 ruggedized notebook computers will be installed in Boston Fire Department fire trucks and other vehicles by L&E Mobile Computers and Mounts. Northrop Grumman Corporation will provide software and services to display the critical incident and mapping information on these mobile PCs. Firefighters will be able to view building plans using The CAD Zone's First Look Pro software. XcelleNet(R) Afaria(R), from iAnywhere(R), will help to keep all the applications and data files up to date and consistent across all systems. All information will be distributed wirelessly through network systems and the high-speed AT&T Wireless EDGE network, the fastest national wireless data network in the United States.

The RIEWS system is expected to be completed and in use by the Boston Fire Department early next year.

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended July 31, 2004, HP revenue totaled $78.4 billion. More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they ever materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including the expected development, performance or rankings of products or services; statements of expectation or belief; and any statement of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the development, performance and market acceptance of products and services and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended July 31, 2004 and other reports filed after HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2003. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

(C) 2004 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Hill and Knowlton for HP
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