Three Tips for Keeping People Informed in an Emergency

How can an organization keep large groups of people informed throughout the lifecycle of an emergency? In many cases, mass notification helps an organization deliver critical updates to affected individuals. The ability to send timely, accurate alerts to affected individuals, and confirm receipt of each notification, ensures an organization can inform large groups of people before, during, and after an emergency.

Mass notification can significantly impact an organization’s emergency response and recovery plans. For example, Tom Von Essen, former commissioner of the Fire Department of the City of New York, recently said that a dependable mass notification system might have helped firefighters respond to the Sept. 11 attacks. Because many firefighters could not receive radio warnings on 9/11, they did not know what was happening when they arrived at the World Trade Center.

Today, situational intelligence gives an organization the ability to leverage real-time, on-the-scene information to effectively manage an emergency. By utilizing citizen-generated information, including photos and videos, an organization can get up-to-the-minute details about an emergency, and instantly share them with affected individuals to stop an incident or prevent it from escalating.

How can your organization use mass notification to improve its emergency response and recovery plans? Check out the tips below to learn more about how your organization can keep its target audience informed in an emergency:

1. Know how to communicate with your target audience – You have important information you want to share, but how will you reach your target audience? Use multiple contact paths to send critical updates. By doing so, you increase the likelihood that your target audience receives important information.

2. Confirm receipt of notifications – Communication failure is unacceptable – however, confirmation of receipt ensures your message reaches the right person at the right time. Continue to send notifications until every respondent confirms receipt.

3. Tell affected individuals what they need to know – Clear, concise messages should include instructions about how to respond in an emergency. Keep your target audience up-to-date and provide frequent updates until a critical situation is fully resolved.

Minimize the loss of life and property in an emergency – keep your target audience informed throughout the lifecycle of an incident.