What is Emergency Mass Notification Software?

Introduction

Emergency mass notification software is utilized to implement emergency planning and risk management strategies. It helps to improve service, workflow, and communication while tackling emergencies. Organizations deploy this platform to prepare for any emergency or event that could stop business operations. With this solution, you can mobilize teams, share info, and send out mass notifications to expedite emergency response and avoid operational disruptions.

Your company can personalize emergency notification software for its needs and requirements. Plus, these tools integrate with or provide GIS features that help to create documents and maps to be used for visual assistance during crises. Emergency notification software encrypts sensitive info, allows two-way messaging, and pushes out mass notifications to numerous devices in several locations.

Features of Emergency Mass Notification Software

GIS Mapping

GIS mapping is an important security feature of this software. It uses location settings to contact people based on their presence or address inside a geofence perimeter. This functionality is handy if you want to release a general notification. For instance, amber alerts utilize geofencing and GIS mapping capabilities for mass notifications.

GIS mapping helps you to keep more people informed and secure. Plus, it improves communication during crises. You can target the right persons and increase the chances of executing successful emergency procedures.

Strong Enterprise Security

Emergency notification systems store a large amount of data and information. This type of software is vulnerable as it presents plenty of potential access points to cyber criminals. It is therefore important to use enterprise security features to prevent unauthorized people from accessing the stored data.

Select a platform with robust enterprise security functionalities that are aligned with your organization’s risk handling policies. This is essential whether the software is used in an office building, stadium, or school. In addition, physical security is as important as cyber security. Therefore, ensure your firm’s emergency evacuation procedures and physical security systems are efficient and flawless. Invest in fortified commercial door locks and access control solutions to bolster your enterprise security and minimize the risk of internal or external breaches.

Multichannel Distribution

To reach a greater number of people, the software should offer multichannel distribution. It should incorporate a security integrator and be able to send numerous simultaneous messages via multiple communication channels.

However, multichannel distribution is difficult to manage and is therefore skipped by lower grade solutions. So, take care to select a platform that includes this functionality as security extends to your employees, patrons, students, and others. Therefore, implement a system that accommodates all these people. For this purpose, the messaging channels should include text message, email, and push notifications on mobile.

Two-Way Messaging

It is not enough to just send out emergency mass notifications. You should also be able to receive messages from the affected parties. This can play a big role in helping to curb loss of life. For instance, if there is a shooter emergency in your organization, two-way messaging can help those in the line of fire to contact security officials and inform them about their whereabouts. The security staff can thus advise them in real time on how to take evasive measures and move to a safe place.

Thus, two-way messaging in an essential functionality that helps to enhance overall security during emergencies. In this regard, read-receipts are important also as they tell inform you who has received your emergency notifications. With this information, you can try to communicate with people might not be aware of the impending danger.

Benefits of Emergency Mass Notification Software

Send out Fast Notifications

Emergency mass notification software has a wider reach compared to email and you can reach more people in much less time. For example, a construction company can inform its employees in the field about a storm headed for the area. The staff can then shift to a safer location till the danger passes. This is difficult to achieve using other channels like email because employees in the field cannot check their email inboxes regularly.

With the software, you can send out alerts to the mobile devices of your on-site workers. Thus, they can become aware of a looming crisis and take necessary action to make sure of their safety.

Multichannel Alerts

The software can deliver notifications and alerts via multiple platforms. For instance, it can contact field-based workers on their Blackberry, tablets, and smartphones. Office employees can be notified through fax machines, VoIP, mobile phones, push notifications, and email.

Convenient Templates

The software offers templates that can be customized according to the emergency situation. You can pre-define the messages and select recipients for any situation. Plus, you can prepare text messages and record voice alerts, and send them via multiple channels. The advantage is your emergency response team does not have to spend time thinking about the content of the message alerts. They can focus on important tasks like coordinating the worker evacuation.  

Two-Way Communication

The emergency mass notification tool allows you to track message delivery and responses. This is an important facility that conventional communication mediums like phones and email lack. Top software solutions in this category include visual meters and display charts that indicate progress at a quick glance. This tells the emergency rescue them how many staff members are seeking shelter from the crisis and have received the notifications and alerts.

In addition, the response squad can send follow up messages based on the replies received. For instance, the team can send a reassuring message to a particular employee who is seeking assistance. These practical benefits of emergency mass notification software make it an essential investment for any company or organization.