Mass Notification Systems

If a disaster or disruptive event occurs, a mass notification system (MNS) may be the one thing that can keep your organization off page one. This week's articles cover many aspects of planning, buying and using a mass notification system.

A mass notification system is not the same as a fire alarm system; it requires far more flexibility and offers a lot more options. (Item #1)   Here is a list of best practices recommended by campus protection professionals, emergency notification equipment manufacturers and other subject matter experts. (Item #2)   New communication technologies and formats call for increased scrutiny of the behavioral factors that impact their effectiveness and define their role in specific alerting and mass notification applications. (Item #3)  

Does risk analysis provide real value when planning an MNS? (Item #4)   Check with your cell providers to make sure they aren't blocking your SMS/text alerts. (Item #5)   Here are 10 factors to consider when buying an MNS. (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Key Steps to Planning Mass Notification System

Facility managers looking for comprehensive guidance for those systems can find it in a familiar place: the fire alarm code. NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, 2010, includes a chapter (Chapter 24: Emergency Communications Systems) on mass notification systems that is written in mandatory language, allowing authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) to adopt it wholesale or in pieces as they see fit.
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/emergencypreparedness/article/Key-Steps-to-Planning-Mass-Notification-System--12972#

2. Twenty-seven Emergency Notification Best Practices

Please note that although these best practices are numbered, the creation of an effective mass notification program is not a linear process. These recommendations should be considered as a whole when adopting new or upgraded equipment, revising emergency notification plans and updating policies and procedures.
http://www.campussafetymagazine.com/Interstitial/Global.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fChannel%2fMass-Notification%2fArticles%2f2012%2f08%2f27-Emergency-Notification-Best-Practices.aspx

3. Emergency Warning & Mass Notification Trends

More than a decade ago, conversations about emergency warning and mass notification systems were limited to outdoor sirens, broadcast radio, and television. Most educational and healthcare facilities also had a variety of indoor alarm and public address systems in place. After September 11, 2001, however, emergency warning and mass notification changed abruptly, and in ways that at the time were hard to imagine. Not only did emergency warning and mass notification become linked with a broad scope of security considerations, it also began to encompass a much broader sphere of communications technology.
http://facilitymanagement.com/articles/security-2012-08-01.html

4. Mass notification and risk analysis: Readers favor doing your homework

Designing and installing mass notification systems is a growing segment of the security and fire market. But is it really worth conducting a risk analysis before starting a project, or is it just a waste of time and resources? Security Systems News posed that question in a monthly poll and found that most readers-nearly three-quarters of those who responded-said that risk analysis was a valuable and even essential part of the process.
http://securitysystemsnews.com/article/mass-notification-and-risk-analysis-readers-favor-doing-your-homework

5. Is There a Gap in Your Mass Notification System Plan?

It appears that major, regional and independent carriers (like Sprint, Verizon, regional carriers and pre-paid providers), appear to be flagging mass notification messages as potential spam, or "alert" (short code) messages, and either disabling (blocking), delaying or denying SMS/text transmissions to some or all of their cellular subscribers. These are the folks who are subscribing to your mass warning alert messaging system.
http://www.campussafetymagazine.com/Blog/Campus-Command-Post/story/2011/04/Is-There-a-Gap-in-Your-Mass-Notification-System-Plan.aspx

6. Enterprise Networking: Emergency Notification Systems: 10 Factors to Consider When Buying One

Emergency and mass notification systems are designed to help organizations communicate to stakeholders during an incident or disruption. In response to the high occurrence of prominent disasters in recent years, the marketplace has been flooded with products to address emergency and mass notification needs. The need to diligently evaluate vendors is critical to ensure that services will meet an organization's specific requirements.
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Enterprise-Networking/Emergency-Notification-Systems-10-Factors-to-Consider-When-Buying-One-358835/

Quote of the Week:

"Hurricane Katrina was the most significant test of our new national emergency preparedness and response system since 9/11 and it obviously did not pass the test."
-- Senator Joe Lieberman

Contact Us:

Attainium Corp
15110 Gaffney Circle
Gainesville, VA 20155
www.attainium.net