Signs That It's Time to Scale Your Emergency Mass Notification
So you’re wondering if it’s time to scale your mass notification. It is certainly an important question to ask. At Alertus, we’ve seen thousands of organizations that have started off with small systems specializing in a specific type of notification. It’s often a text or email service that allows them to send alerts to individuals, but emergency managers are looking for more, and rightfully so. Reaching everyone, and everywhere, is the number one priority in an emergency. Systems that only offer one type of notification drastically miss the mark when it comes to reaching every inch of a facility with critical information. This leaves just one option, scale!
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FEMA to Conduct IPAWS National Test on Oct 3, 2018
Today the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is conducting a test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) as part of its Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).
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Addressing the Growing Need for Mass Notification in News & Media Outlets
News and media outlets have seen a startling increase in the number of violent attacks on both journalists and facilities. One jaw-dropping incident took place only several miles from the Alertus Technologies headquarters at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, MD when a gunman forced his way into the facility and killed five employees. Unfortunately, this incident is only one of many we’ve seen in recent months. While it is hard to always control external threats, there are actions organizations can take to better address and respond to these threats, and it starts with emergency mass notification.
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Maximizing Your System Capabilities with Alertus ENS
Whether you received the Alertus Desktop™ Notification donation for your campus and want to expand your capabilities, or looking to build a brand new notification system for your organization, your investment into the Alertus Mass Notification System is about getting the best in emergency notification to help keep the people in your facility safe. With Alertus Enhanced Notification Service (ENS), you can both expand and maximize your system’s capabilities, while getting the peace of mind that comes with live technical support.
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4 Steps to Better Emergency Notification
The increase in violence and unpredictable weather threats is enough to keep anyone awake at night, especially those in the security and emergency management field. Whether it’s a university or office complex, it’s hard keeping everyone safe. Various types of mass notification systems certainly help, but having the tools to communicate with everyone does not mean you’re communicating effectively. These four steps below will help you improve your emergency notification and make sure you’re effectively reaching everyone, everywhere.
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Mass Notification Systems now eligible under New 2018 Tax Incentives for Security and Fire Protection Systems
Did you know that starting in 2018, businesses can now write off up to $1 million in purchases toward security and fire protection systems, including visual and audible alarm systems?
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The 4 Areas of Comprehensive Notification Coverage
Reaching everyone, everywhere can be easier said than done. Organizations often have many moving parts making it hard to ensure that life-saving communication reaches everyone, especially in an emergency.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a U.S.-based organization established in 1896 and has since written hundreds of codes and standards to ensure facility safety. The NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code Handbook outlines the safety provisions necessary for fire detection, signaling, and emergency communications. Chapter 24 of the Handbook provides guidelines for emergency communication systems and stipulates four types of Emergency Communication System Layers.
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The 2018 Seminars Start Big At Home
The Alertus Seminar Series hosted its first seminar of 2018 at headquarters with Johns Hopkins Healthcare System and it was definitely a huge success. Originally scheduled as a one day seminar, the event was expanded to two days, March 29 & 30, 2018, to accommodate the overwhelming response of registrants.
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4 Ways to Use Your Alertus Desktop Notification Software
One of Alertus’ most frequently requested and utilized emergency notification tools is our software that can override computer screens with a message in the event of an emergency, known as the Alertus Desktop Notification. Most of our customers are familiar with this solution, but many end users might not be aware of the full breadth of features available.
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Preset Alert Variables - Quick Ways to Customize Your Notifications
Alertus’ Preset Alert Variables are used with automated events, such as weather alerts, data feeds, and panic buttons to include event-specific information in the alert without any input from the dispatcher.
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Tips for Success: Simplifying Your System
Many companies that provide emergency alerting solutions, like Alertus, offer webinars, product guides, knowledge bases, and more for you to continually educate yourself and other users on the features of your system.
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Not Just a False Alarm
On Saturday morning, January 13, 2018, Hawaiian residents received a frightening statewide alert about a ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii on their phones, radios, and televisions. This alert sent widespread panic throughout the islands as residents and visitors scrambled to find safety and feared that this would be the end, only to later find out it was a false alarm. Multiple news outlets have covered the story, and phrases like “inexcusable human error” and “lack of reasonable safeguards” are being thrown around. However as we wait for the full report to be released, there are several takeaways that we can look at already.
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Winter '18 Release Now Available for Download
This release features our brand new Alertus Chromebook Notification solution—the first notification solution of its kind for Google Chromebooks. Built specifically for use by Chrome devices, this quarter-screen pop-up notification delivers critical information quickly to all subscribers, providing yet another effective layer of notification coverage as part of the Alertus Mass Notification System.
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Alert Beacons: Immediate, Intrusive Notification
Alert Beacons are a compact, high-impact audible-visual alerting device that can be easily mounted on a wall to deliver critical emergency communications to everyone in the vicinity. Alert Beacons are ideal for retrofitting buildings without an existing notification system with an affordable option, where installing a PA system is impractical or cost-prohibitive.
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The Expert Take on Emergency Communication in Healthcare
The Alertus Webinar Series brought together three of healthcare’s top emergency management personnel for, “Best Practices for Emergency Communication in Healthcare.” These experts talked about their experiences, best practices, and tips on how to effectively facilitate emergency notification in healthcare facilities.
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