This blog post is about the benefits and importance of testing your emergency communication and mass notification systems.
You’ve taken action and equipped your facility with all of the latest and greatest emergency communication and mass notification technology out there, good for you! Now, do you know how to use it?
We talked to Chip Stratton, the Director of Safety and Risk Management at the Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center in Fishersville, Virginia about the active shooter drill he performed in June and importance of testing your system.
Chip is required to complete a drill every quarter on his campus, he decided to test his current platform provided by Status Solutions by performing an active shooter drill. He wanted to incorporate staff, students, campus police and surrounding neighbors in preparation for this type of emergency. Chip allowed Status Solutions to invite community members in order to educate and receive feedback on how emergency communication and mass notification can technology be deployed.
Reinforce the Proper Response
Chip stressed the importance of creating a real life situation when testing your system. If you don’t create a real life scenario, then how will you know what to do when something actually happens?
Testing your system is an overall learning experience for everyone involved. It clues everyone in to how the system responds to different types of emergencies. By performing a different drill every quarter, Chip is able to demonstrate the differences in the system to his students, staff and campus police. He does this to reinforce the proper response expected of those on campus in a variety of emergency situations. Reassuring that your facility can confidently respond to multiple emergency situations is a significant benefit of testing your system.
Technology is constantly changing and updating, as a result so is your safety and security system. Constantly updating this system to make sure everything is working properly is imperative. Technology makes mistakes, in lieu of updates information can get lost or misplaced. Then again, updates also come with new upgrades and tend to make the system quicker; aiding security directors in shortening alert and response times. Testing the upgraded system will allow users to constantly change and update their responses along with the systems’.Practice makes perfect. Educating yourself and those within your facility on the safest and most efficient response to emergencies could save someone’s life.
For more information contact an IBD team member at info@statussolutions.com.
