An information system, method, and computer program product is provided
for the distributed warning of existing or developing significant events
and/or threats to users carrying a user warning and positioning device,
while reporting the location of all user's carrying the user warning and
positioning devices of the system to existing command and control
systems. The present invention's future event warning capabilities permit
those same users to be warned of impending events in enough time for the
users to take positive actions in response to these events and/or address
those events. The system of the present invention includes a pager-like
user warning and positioning device, worn by or carried by the individual
user, or mounted in a vehicle or vessel, having a geographical
positioning means therein, which periodically transmits the geographical
location of the individual user, vehicle or vessel, and listens for
warning/notification event messages transmitted by a network bridge or
situational awareness workstation (central processing means). When an
event/threat warning is received by the user warning and positioning
device, the pager-like user warning and positioning alerts the user via
indicia relative to the event/situation, including audible spoken
warnings and instructions on how to react, and may retransmit the
event/threat warning to other user warning and positioning devices in the
network, provided the threat has not occurred and the event/threat
warning has not been previously relayed.