April 29, 2015 Posted by Pocketstop in Pockestop News, Mass Notification Social Share
How Does Your Business Provide Emergency Communications During A Power Outage?
Spring is a time of warmer temperatures and new life outside our windows. It is also a time when the weather can cause disruptions in our lives and, if we’re not prepared, it can be a time where we find ourselves in trouble and in need of an emergency communications system.
In the spring, there are many causes of power outages. High winds, tornadoes, rain fall from thunderstorms and falling tree limbs that strike power lines or poles can all cause power outages. Many outages are short-lived and nothing but small inconveniences but sometimes power outages can last for days, create chaos and have real economic effects. Emergency communications systems can be extremely beneficial during a power outage — especially for businesses whose employees and customers are relying on them.
Power outages can cost businesses time and money from lost orders, damage to perishable goods or other inventory, equipment downtime, lost production, employee confusion and a lack of communication between employees and customers.
On any given day we may take for granted utility and electrical services but it is when they go out we really learn to appreciate them. Power outages are inevitable. At some point in time every business and every household will probably experience one. And most likely they won’t be for very long. We can’t always count on a power outage to be short-lived, however, and need to have emergency communications systems, tools and plans in place.
For a business, a mass emergency communications system like the RedFlag notification system is an extremely beneficial tool to have during a major power outage. Many mass emergency communications systems are cloud-based platforms. There is no hardware or software. So, during a power outage, the emergency communications system can still be accessed from any internet connected device. If your business experiences a major power outage, no, you won’t be able to communicate from a device that is depended on a wired power connection at your location. But you will be able to access your emergency communications system from a charged device with access to the internet and a web browser — like a smartphone or a tablet. You’d also be able to access the RedFlag emergency communications system from a laptop when you’re able to travel to a location that does have power and WiFi or other internet connection capability.
This means, almost immediately you have access to your emergency communications system. Have access isn’t the key, however. Having your system set up for a power outage, or other contingency situation, is what will save you time, money, your reputation and possibly even lives depending on the crisis at hand.
If your business decides to invest in a mass emergency communications system, getting it set up properly is imperative. Adding all your stakeholders’ contact information into the system and keeping the information up-to-date is vital. Without up-to-date information, your emergency communications efforts will be lost. Including your employees in the system is great, but don’t stop there. Add not only your employees, but include tenants, contractors, customers, vendors and possibly even employee family members in the event of a serious situation. Include anyone who would require information during a crisis. The RedFlag emergency communications system has multi-channel messaging abilities meaning you’ll need to gather phone numbers (both cell and landline numbers) for text and voice messages and as well as email address. You can also set up the RedFlag emergency communications system to post to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter so the general public can be kept abreast of your ongoing situation.
Once you have all your stakeholders added, you can create groups (i.e. employees, vendors, customers, etc.) so you can send targeted emergency communications depending on who you need to communicate with. This way, no matter where your stakeholders are, you’ll be able to reach them and let them know what’s going on — giving them peace of mind and comfort during uncomfortable sitations.
We don’t just take for granted electricity in today’s world, but we also take for granted our ability to communicate with one another. With so many ways to do so, we need to have a back-up plan in case our normal routine is disrupted.
Be prepared for a power outage with a mass emergency communications system like the RedFlag notification system. For more information about RedFlag, give us a call today at 877-840-2444 or live chat with us today at www.pocketstop.com.
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