Your Mass Notification Cheat Sheet
Here’s the latest breakdown of the more commonly used emergency alert systems. Deploying multiple modes will help to ensure the strengths of one solution compensate for the weaknesses of others.
Solutions covered include call boxes, digital displays, E-mail, intercoms, loudspeakers and Giant Voice, phone trees/telephony, computer pop-up messaging, sirens, text (SMS) messaging, voice evacuation systems, weather radios, Web site announcements and hotlines.
Many of these solutions can now be linked with each other so messages can reach more individuals on or near a campus, as well as other stakeholders, such as family members.
Be certain to test the systems regularly, and account for the hearing and sight impaired.
View the 2010 Mass Notification Cheat Sheet.
For information on bullhorns, common alerting protocols (CAP/IPAWS), digital communication spectrum (digital television feeds), posters, radio announcements, RSS feeds/readers and smart phone apps, click here.
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About the Author
Robin Hattersley, Editor-in-Chief
Robin has been covering the security and campus law enforcement industries since 1998 and is a specialist in school, university and hospital security, public safety and emergency management, as well as emerging technologies and systems integration. She joined CS in 2005 and has authored award-winning editorial on campus law enforcement and security funding, officer recruitment and retention, access control, IP video, network integration, event management, crime trends, the Clery Act, Title IX compliance, sexual assault, dating abuse, emergency communications, incident management software and more. Robin has been featured on national and local media outlets and was formerly associate editor for the trade publication Security Sales & Integration. She obtained her undergraduate degree in history from California State University, Long Beach.
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