| Using an Emergency Response Notification | | | | should also make sure that they are aware of the |
| System Effectively | | | | plans which your company has in place for how |
| An emergency response notification system can | | | | they should deal with such emergencies. Let them |
| be a great way to keep your employees and | | | | know who, if anyone, they are supposed to |
| others informed as to the latest developments in | | | | contact, where they are supposed to go, and any |
| case an emergency situation arises, but if you and | | | | specific steps they should take when reacting to |
| your employees don't know how it works or | | | | a message sent by the emergency response |
| what to expect from its notifications then it may | | | | notification system. In most cases specific |
| end up causing more harm than good. The last | | | | instructions will be sent along with the notification |
| thing that you want in an emergency situation is | | | | from the system, but it's always a good idea to |
| for people to panic and make things worse, which | | | | make sure that your employees know the basics |
| is why it's so important that you properly train | | | | of your emergency plan even without the |
| your managers and employees on how to use | | | | notification message to give them direction. It's |
| the emergency response notification system to | | | | important that they read the messages that the |
| keep everything calm and under control. Here are | | | | system receives in addition to knowing the plan, |
| some tips on how you can prepare your business | | | | of course, since there will likely be additional |
| to use your emergency response notification | | | | information included which gives them details on |
| system properly and keep confusion to a | | | | the nature of the emergency as well as how |
| minimum. | | | | they should react to it. |
| Be Prepared for Notification | | | | Practice, Practice, Practice |
| One of the most important things that you can | | | | The best way for your employees to be ready |
| do in order to help improve the effectiveness of | | | | to react to a message from the emergency |
| your emergency response notification system is | | | | response notification system is for them to have |
| to make sure that all of your employees are | | | | semi-regular drills which walk them through |
| prepared in the event that they receive a | | | | different emergency situations so that they will |
| notification from the system. These notifications | | | | have an idea of what they should do in a variety |
| may come in a variety of different methods, | | | | of scenarios. Make sure that they know in |
| depending upon the system that you have and | | | | advance that there will be a drill planned, but don't |
| how you have it configured; some of the more | | | | tell them the time or the specifics of the |
| common methods of notification include mass | | | | emergency that will be simulated; you'll want them |
| e-mails, recorded phone messages, cell phone | | | | to be reacting in real time even though they |
| text messages, and notifications sent to a pager | | | | know that there isn't any real danger. If your |
| or other mobile device. Make sure that employees | | | | emergency response notification system is |
| are familiar with what these notifications might | | | | programmed to automatically contact the police |
| look or sound like, and that they know to pay | | | | or other emergency services you should either |
| attention to the messages that they receive and | | | | disable that feature for the drill or schedule it with |
| to take them seriously. | | | | them so that they may help you monitor |
| Have a Plan Ready | | | | response times or at the very least will know |
| As you begin familiarizing your employees with | | | | that there isn't a real emergency situation at your |
| the warnings which are sent out by the | | | | company. |
| emergency response notification system, you | | | | |