Emergency Notification Systems and Crisis Communication – Blog

Hospitals and healthcare facilities are anchor institutions in our communities when it comes to safety and well-being during a time of crisis. They play a major role in most emergencies that happen — environmental incidents, vehicular accidents, infrastructure disasters, and active intruder or shooter tragedies. Because of the role they play in emergencies, they themselves must be even more prepared for emergencies that might happen at their facilities. Not only must they inform and guide the patients who visit these type of facilities, but the doctors and nurses, workers, and visitors inside must also be made aware and prepared for what to do next. No one day is the same and no one individual is the same who enters, so these centers must be ready for anything that comes their way. Ensuring they keep everyone safe means informing their constituents of an emergency and what guidance to follow if there is one.

There’s no sugar-coating the fact that this past winter has been a very harsh one. Much of the U.S. experienced more snow and ice than it had in years. With this severe weather came school and work closures; as well as, public transportation delays and shutdowns. On top of that, many roadside accidents. This winter 24% of all roadside accidents were related to snowy, slushy, or icy pavement. It’s no surprise that we all welcomed the first day of Spring with open arms - in search of sunshine, warm weather, and the promise of blooming flowers.

Corporate enterprises take many forms, including retail, distribution, insurance, banking, tourism, and hospitality venues. Each brings its own complexities, operational goals and challenges, and moral obligations to the table. Regardless of the genre of these enterprises, the goal of each should be the safety of their people and the mitigation of risk to their property.

Communication and information are essential tools in getting people to safety and minimizing the impacts of emergency situations. The reliability, speed, and accuracy of information are vital components in determining the effectiveness of communications. Crises like an unplanned outage, active shooter, or inclement weather all require the dissemination of accurate information at a moment’s notice. The success of your emergency response depends heavily on your preparation. If you have planned correctly, the execution of your response will be quick with minimal chance for error.

Of all the requirements of the Jeanne Clery Act college and university communities most frequently associate it with the timely warning. As an original part of the 1990 law timely warnings have fundamentally changed how students and employees learn about campus crime in a way that is now firmly enshrined in their cultures as it is what they most frequently see. As a result, they now often expect to be warned about crimes including those that technically fall outside Clery geography but may nonetheless affect the campus. Addressing these expectations begins with a clear policy shaped with stakeholder input.

Manufacturers have some of the most stringent worker safety standards of any industry. The government regulations are rigorous, including those under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Given the inherent risks and dangers within manufacturing facilities – from electrical to chemical to nuclear – safety managers must have a crisis communication solution and company mass notification system that is purpose-built to save lives and prevent injuries.