No matter the event, mass communication systems can help facilities communicate about important happenings and procedures throughout an entire building.
Who Needs a Mass Notification System?
Mass notification systems are programs and technology that send out messages to a multitude of entities; a hospital can tell patients wait times for appointments, schools can communicate schedule changes with students, and businesses can communicate meeting times or locations with employees. Systems can look different depending on what and to whom they are trying to communicate, but they are generally used to create a one-way notification bridge from a facility to its occupants.
The What and Why of Mass Communication
From simple building directions to emergency situation notifications, mass communication is a crucial part of everyday function around hospitals, campuses, and businesses alike. In any facility for which public safety is a key concern, there is likely already a mass notification system in place, such as loudspeakers or text alerts. However, it is important to develop a multifaceted mass notification strategy so that facilities can be assured that they are reaching as many people as possible through a variety of different avenues. Some common examples of mass notification channels are:
- Text notifications
- Desktop alerts
- Phone alarms (amber alerts, weather alarms, etc.)
- Automated emails
- Loudspeaker announcements
Some of these messages can be sent by facility leaders to people, like local authorities, who need to take action. For example, a school leader might send a message to a fire department to alert firefighters and other emergency responders to ready themselves for deployment to a critical situation. Mass notification systems get messages out quickly and efficiently, which can be essential when responding to emergencies.
Benefits of a Multilayered Notification System
With several facets to a mass notification system, facilities can be sure that their important messages are reaching their destinations by traveling through multiple channels. If a recipient missed a text, they might benefit from a secondary email or phone call, for example. Or, if people inside the building missed a loudspeaker announcement, they might see it repeated on an electronic message board.
That’s where Primex OneVue Notify® InfoBoard™ displays come in to help.
How to Strengthen Mass Communication With OneVue Notify
To add another layer of communication to your facility’s existing mass notification system, or even to jumpstart a new mass notification system into existence, consider the OneVue Notify InfoBoard displays. InfoBoard displays run visual-textual messages, written and sent through one user portal, through a series of connected LED displays, which can provide a crucial extra layer of security to emergency notification plans as well as simply ensure that time-sensitive updates or reminders reach intended audiences. These displays can help strengthen communication by:
- Ensuring alerts are seen throughout a facility or campus, not heard
- Conveying messages in noisy or busy environments
- Using colors to communicate levels of emergency or context for non-English speakers or those who cannot read
- Communicating messages even in serious situations where recipients must remain quiet or in hiding
- Being a means of communication for those who are hard of hearing
InfoBoard displays can also be designated for other uses in hospitals and in a variety of other environments, such as:
- Healthcare: communicating patient status outside care rooms or signaling ambulance arrivals to the ER
- Elementary Schools and College Campuses: announcing class changes or emergency drill directions
- Businesses: displaying memos like staff information in warehouses or bus route changes in transit garages
These displays can be a key player in communicating all sorts of messages, not just time-sensitive ones. Hand hygiene reminders, best wishes for staff, or daily announcements on displays can be useful in many situations where information needs to be spread effectively and efficiently.
Keep Track of Your Communication History
The OneVue Notify system can not only display your messages but also log when your notifications were sent out, how long they were displayed for, and when they were cleared. This automatic logging can be incredibly helpful for facilities where critical situations require precise documentation for incident reporting and investigation. Users can access the automated message log anytime on a web browser through the cloud-based OneVue® software.
If your facility deals in time and people management, chances are you already have some sort of mass notification system in place. However, it’s worth considering whether your system is as effective and reaches as many people as it possibly can, as good communication is an important base component in every facility. If you’re interested in bolstering your mass communication capabilities, consider Primex OneVue InfoBoard displays for an added, visual layer in your mass notification plan.