The Evolution of Mass Notification System Technology

October 21, 2015 Posted by Pocketstop in Pockestop News, Mass Notification Social Share

From The 1960s to Today, Mass Notification System Technology Has Advanced To Meet The Growing Need For Mass Communication

Today’s SaaS multi-channel digital mass notification system technology has a dynamic history that has roots dating back to the early 1960s when the U.S. government implemented the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) as a way to quickly notify the American public in the event of an emergency.

In 1997, the deadly terrorist bombing on an American military complex in Saudi Arabia resulted in the U.S. government defining the need for mass notification and “the ability to use intelligent notifications such as “shelter-in-place” directives to save lives¹.”

As time went on, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks served as the catalyst for mass notification system relevance in today’s environment. Since then, unfortunately, a string of disasters have continued to emphasize the need for organizational use of mass notification systems. This list in not exhaustive, by any means, but provides a context for when a mass notification system could be instrumental in providing critical information to people during a crisis situation.

• 2004 – Madrid train bombings
• 2004 – Tsunami in Southeast Asia
• 2005 – Hurricane Katrina
• 2005 – London Underground public transport bombing
• 2007 – Virginia Tech campus shootings
• 2008 – Deadliest tornado and hurricane outbreak in 23 years
• 2009 – H1N1 influenza global pandemic outbreak
• 2010 – Haiti earthquake
• 2011 – Japan earthquake and tsunami
• 2012 – Shooting attack at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado
• 2013 – Boston Marathon bombings
• 2014 – Shooting attack at Fort Hood, Texas
• 2015 – Shooting attacks in Charleston, South Carolina, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Moneta, Virginia, and Roseburg, Oregon

Over the 50 plus years since the mass notification seed was planted, mass notification systems are being implemented by governments, businesses and other organizations and used in more ways than just for emergency communications.

Today, digital multi-channel mass notification systems have robust features and functionality as well as flexibility and agility to meet emergency communication needs as well as business continuity requirements and to make general communications convenient, simple and reliable.

Many organizations use mass notification systems as a key communications component of their emergency action plan as well to communicate to employees, tenants and other stakeholders in the event of:

• Workplace accidents
• Intentional acts of violence
• Utility outages (power, water, technological)
• Supply chain interruptions (shipping delays, back orders)
• Natural disasters (hurricanes, tornado, earthquakes)
• Operational notifications/changes (closings, meetings, changes in hours)
• Human resource notices (open enrollment, feedback, surveys)
• Important news (M&A activity, financial goals)
• Transportation issues (delays, outages)
• Employees notifications (holiday notices, policy updates)
• Retail updates (sales, new stock, discontinues items)
• Sales management updates (sales team updates, policy updates)
• Event management updates (last minuet changes, schedule updates)
• Marketing, CRM and other business function notices

As we move into the future, mass notification system technology will continue to prove beneficial to the leaders, managers and administrators of organizations everywhere to meet the growing need of mass communication.

For information about Pocketstop’s mass notification system, RedFlag, please give us a call today at 877-840-2444 or go to www.pocketstop.com to live chat with us today.

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