| Emergency notification is the act of informing | | | | templates is preferable, so that even if a user has |
| people of critical information during time sensitive | | | | never been trained, they will be able to |
| situations. Emergency notification systems have | | | | successfully send out emergency messages. |
| advanced rapidly as new communications | | | | Business continuity planning and disaster |
| technology has become available. Currently, there | | | | preparedness should not be overlooked. Often, it |
| are many types of notification systems that use | | | | is only AFTER a disaster happens that |
| various methods of communication. The most | | | | organizations realize they were unprepared. Some |
| advanced systems use high-tech communications | | | | planning and effort beforehand, to make sure that |
| software to send out thousands of messages | | | | everyone is trained and prepared for certain |
| instantly, through voice calls, SMS text messages, | | | | contingencies, can provide SIGNIFICANT savings |
| email, pagers, BlackBerry PIN, and more. The | | | | in the long run when an unexpected event does |
| redundancy and the multiple modalities that are | | | | occur. |
| used help to ensure that no matter where a | | | | Accepted best practices today include: designating |
| message recipient is (at home, at the office, on | | | | a specific person to handle business continuity |
| the road) they will receive the message as quickly | | | | planning; intelligently designing emergency plans to |
| as possible. | | | | take into consideration likely events such as high |
| In times of crisis, administrators and managers | | | | employee absenteeism during a disaster; holding |
| who are responsible for communicating within their | | | | multiple training and information sessions so that |
| organization are usually under extreme pressure. | | | | everyone is aware of procedures and knows |
| In situations like this, a simple, easy-to-use | | | | what to do during an actual emergency; and |
| system that requires minimal training is best. | | | | making sure that communications tools such as an |
| When under pressure, managers can easily forget | | | | emergency notification system are in place, |
| how to use complicated software features. A | | | | especially in larger organizations, to help facilitate |
| system that allows message sending with only a | | | | emergency management during a critical event. |
| few easy steps, using pre-written, customizable | | | | |