End Users Review Emergency Notification Systems

Earlier, we covered our sister publication Campus Safety’s 2017 Emergency Notification System Survey, which suggests emergency notification system and security installations are on the rise throughout the healthcare and education markets. As part of the survey, CS asked safety experts how they would advise campus officials seeking to install security systems, and the results posed valuable insights for integrators.

Campus Safety also asked survey participants to speak to the successes they’ve experienced with their new security systems. We at CI thought integrators might want to know what really impressed the end users. Here’s how some of them reacted to their integrators’ work:

Overall Emergency Notification System Performance

“By covering text and email, we have seen a high degree of penetration into classroom spaces except where professors require cellphones be turned off.”
“Can target specific response groups for various incidents.”
“Former system had too much of a delay in sending notifications at times; new system is much more consistent in timely notifications sent.”
“Management team notified with one text alert versus many phone calls.”
“Myriad of notification methods have reduced the ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ concerns from parents.”
“Nearly 100% communication using several modalities.”
“New system can be initiated from a mobile app, not needing to be physically at a PC or laptop to send messages.”
“Notified other public safety and support entities of an event without our agency having to specifically contact them.”
“Notifications are received within seconds of sending the alert!”

Weather Emergencies

“Able to contact 25 percent of off-duty employees following F3 tornado that took out local wire phone service, ham radios and satellite phone.”
“At a baseball game the system was deployed when a storm with strong winds popped up, enabling the stadium to be evacuated to the underground locker rooms/shelter.”
“Central siren system is heard all over a 2-square-mile area. Neighbors are also alerted to potentially strong storms approaching.”
“Great way to alert for school closures.”
“Just last night the system was dispatched about 2:10 a.m. with a tornado/seek shelter message. It lets students who are outside or off campus know to immediately get inside and seek shelter.”
“Radio announcements have been effective when closing for blizzards.”

Facilities Issues & Security Installations

“Able to quickly disseminate information regarding a power outage during a final exam day. Was able to effectively communicate rescheduling.”
“Effectively evacuated nine buildings after a 3-inch gas line was struck in the middle of campus.”
“Successful notification of students when a transformer feeding part of the campus blew up, leaving no power in H wing.”
“System notifications allowed staff to reroute around a major traffic collision at our campus entrance.”
“We were able to control the amount of students/staff walking around campus to be restricted to specific times around the dining facility hours of operation, which allowed for snow plow operations to be safer. Otherwise, students would be walking in the middle of streets.”