It almost always happens when you least expect it. Out of the blue, an emergency comes up where you have to act fast in order to maximize the chance for the least amount of damage possible.
When this happens, it is imperative that you can count on your emergency preparedness and mitigation processes to be up to date and running smoothly. This includes your emergency communication system.
Here are just a few ways you can make sure your platform is up to snuff the next time you're faced with an unexpected emergency.
Keep your data updated
Your emergency notification system is only as good and as effective as the data that has been inputted and the maintenance thereof. There is no point to sending out emergency notifications if half of your contacts' information is out of date or incorrect.
Ensure all of your contact and infrastructure data is current by sending out a regular update survey asking for the most up-to-date information and the preferred method of contact to ensure important messages are delivered and received as efficiently as possible.
Run test scenarios
Practice makes perfect. This also applies to emergency preparedness. In order to be certain everyone knows their role during a crisis and the emergency plan is carried out without any hiccups, make a point of running through the entire plan internally every few months. Send your notifications to a small group of test contacts to make sure all steps are followed and their order makes sense.
If your emergency communication system includes aspects of automation, running through your plan is a very easy process. Simply input your test contacts into the system and launch the scenario plan to deploy your tasks automatically in the order they were configured.
Review your emergency templates
If you're using an emergency communication system that can launch previously-configured emergency templates, you need to be certain these templates are regularly maintained and all the content that's been inputted into them has been updated to include the most relevant information and all appropriate contacts. This way, when it comes time to deploy one of these emergency templates, you don't need to worry whether they have been updated to include the new Emergency Operations Center manager.
Use for day-to-day operations
In addition to ensuring your platform works as intended, it is just as important to ensure you and your colleagues are well-versed on the various facets of the system and are confident and comfortable in its use. This comfort will come with using the platform regularly during day-to-day business operations as opposed to using it solely during times of crisis.
A platform with mass notification capabilities can easily be used on a daily basis for business continuity purposes; for example, notifying employees of office closures or a sweet treat in the lunch room. Familiarity ensures efficiency, which is critical during an emergency where time is of the essence.
EmergHub is a new emergency communication system created by SimplyCast. The web-based platform allows you to create and easily manage emergency templates and contact data, ensuring that you will always be ready to act whenever an emergency comes your way. To learn more about EmergHub, visit this page, or contact us at sales@simplycast.com for more information.
