Everbridge and Clients Urge Others to Be Prepared Beyond National Preparedness Month

Leading Emergency Notification Solution Provider Teams with Clients to Spread the Word about Importance of Preparedness as Winter Storm Season Approaches

LOS ANGELES, CA – September 30, 2010 – As National Preparedness Month draws to a close, Everbridge, the world’s recognized leader in incident notification systems, is encouraging all companies, municipalities and families to carry forward this initiative’s goals by putting plans in place to prepare for impending national disasters or manmade situations. The company is issuing tips for being prepared and conducting an upcoming webinar, Conquering Tough Challenges for More Effective Emergency Notification, on Oct. 21, 2010 at 10 a.m. PT (https://go.everbridge.com/ConqueringToughChallengesReg.html). Guest speaker and distinguished crisis communication expert Dr. Robert C. Chandler will discuss communication challenges and opportunities during emergencies and how to master the fine art of sending the right message to the right people, further illustrating the need for continued education in emergency preparedness heading into the winter season. 

“We’ve all seen over the last year how natural and manmade disasters can impact citizens, governments, the economy and the overall community,” said Lt. Paul Vance, Connecticut State Police. “We have deployed what we think is the best technology for statewide emergency notification and are working diligently to encourage the citizens of our state to be active participants by keeping their contact data as complete and up-to-date as possible.”  

Everbridge Aware® and SmartGIS™ are the technologies used to assist cities like Galveston, Texas in successfully evacuating the entire community during Hurricane Ike and the solution used by Dallas Fort Worth Airport in issuing crucial customer communications during Texas’ severe winter weather of 2009.  Most recently, the technology was adopted by the State of Connecticut and is now supporting the AlertBoston citizen notification program.

“With major advancements in technology, local emergency management and public safety organizations don’t have an excuse for not having a viable channel of communications to keep residents informed and to alert them to constantly changing events when a situation arises,” said Mark Gaisford, communications manager, Loveland Colorado – Emergency Communications Center.  “Having a plan is important, but having a plan with a communications channel that works is crucial.”

Tips from Everbridge for putting a plan in place and being prepared:
Individuals and Families:

• Sign up for emergency alerts. Contact your community government to ensure your contact information is on file for any available notification service
• Assemble and keep a family emergency kit in households (You can find tips for what should be in the kit at www.fema.gov)
• Research weather patterns in your community and educate yourself on past steps taken by local governments surrounding natural and manmade situations
• Develop maps, escape routes and meeting points to ensure family safety and togetherness

Municipalities and Businesses:
• Review your BCDR (business continuity and disaster recovery) plan and supporting tools. If you don’t have a plan, work with others within your organization to develop one
• Create planned responses for typical scenarios, such as winter weather and flooding
• Test and validate the people, processes, messaging and technology in your plan. A plan is only good if it works
• Determine if/how new technologies should be integrated into tools and processes as supplemental communication channels

“Everbridge’s goal is to educate a wide audience on how to keep people safe and organizations running during disasters, which is why we go to such great lengths to partner with our clients and provide resources for continued education,” said Cinta Putra, CEO and co-founder, Everbridge. “Disaster preparedness and the ability to communicate effectively are more than just a necessity; they are a lifeline during a crisis.”

About Everbridge

Everbridge, the world’s recognized leader in incident notification systems, merges technology with industry expertise to help millions of people communicate in a crisis, manage operational incidents and connect on a daily basis. The company’s notification platform and incident lifecycle communications model makes communicating to many as simple and effective as communicating to one. Organizations in more than 100 countries—including Salesforce.com, Marathon Oil Corporation, the State of Connecticut, the American Red Cross, and Virginia Tech—rely on Everbridge for their emergency notification and day-to-day communication needs. For more information about Everbridge, visit www.everbridge.com