Emergency Preparedness
Feb 1, 2010 12:00 PM, By Tom Giannini
Preparing for campus and school emergencies: putting the right plans, procedures and technologies in place.
A layered approach to emergency communications
Emergency communications pose complex challenges for schools, colleges and universities. Yet, one thing is clear: In today's world, no single technology can provide a complete solution. The best approach is to deploy multiple layers of technology to disseminate critical information to the people who need to have it. A multi-technology approach to emergency communications can combine voice communications, visual messaging and wireless personal notification capabilities to communicate with all constituencies during a crisis.
Voice communications. Interior voice systems driven by advanced fire-alarm networks and possessing built-in survivability can broadcast live or recorded messages instantly throughout any institutional setting. A universal message, or an individual message tailored to a specific area, building, floor or room, can be delivered through such a voice-enabled system. It can provide immediate communications that also can be modified to match changing conditions. A voice-enabled fire-alarm system can be supplemented by outdoor speaker systems capable of broadcasting real-time warnings and instructions to exterior gathering spots, off-site buildings and satellite properties.
Visual messaging. Visual messaging displays can be an important element of an emergency communications solution. These units can be mounted in a building or other places on campus to display live or pre-programmed textual messages and alerts. Messages can be tailored to specific buildings, floors or rooms, and are useful for the hearing-impaired. They can offer stationary incident headings or detailed scrolling instructions keyed in from a campus command center.
Wireless personal notification. Subscription services can offer powerful technologies for automatically transmitting vital information to a wide array of personal communications devices, including smartphones, pagers and other electronic applications. This information can reach popular blogs, wikis and social networks such as Twitter. This means individuals, both on and off campus, can be informed instantly of potential or unfolding emergencies or events.
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