Rapid and efficient emergency management is a challenge that communities constantly face. Thankfully, Information Technology – the use of systems for storing, retrieving, and sending information – is making it easier for emergency managers to anticipate threats, communicate life-saving information and deliver help where it’s needed. Many of these solutions are revolutionizing the way response teams analyze events and mobilize action.

IT systems enact prevention, preparation, and emergency response operations with the least amount of time and manual effort. Communication, data analysis, security, emergency preparedness and prevention, comprise its critical infrastructure solutions. Aside from automating life-saving protocols, IT also delivers the following important benefits in emergency management. 

1. Program Preparedness

In an emergency, most organizations will face:

• An increasingly challenging or threatening environment (far from “Business as Usual.”)
• Increasing risk to life, operations, assets, and supply chain management.
• The need for an immediate response to minimize impact or event escalation.
• Activate drilled responses to increase the likelihood of event success.

A lot of decisions need to be made in a short period of time and the typical human reaction to stress can interfere with the plan leading to poor judgment which subsequently results in extensive damage. To reduce panic in an emergency, Response Plans should go the way of communications and intelligence – online.

Cloud-based tasks lists, prepared emergency workflows, and integrated communications are critical. Automating alerts and responses to impacted individuals of an escalating event can rapidly set life-saving actions into motion before reaching the threshold. The best example of this type of technology in action is Havrion CONNECT which automatically streams life-saving emergency protocols and evacuation maps on digital displays to quickly direct the people to safety.

2. Deliver Targeted Alerts

Communication from government officials to the public is crucial during an emergency. Important notices and information must be communicated to all outlets immediately so the public has time to prepare and react.

Federal and local governments use many technologies to keep open lines of communication, including social media and other online channels. For example, if a community is facing a tornado or other bad weather, a public service announcement (PSA) may be sent out from the government office on social media, by email, or through smartphone alerts.

Automate Your Communication Plan

Havrion HUB is a cloud-based, real-time emergency event management system of integrated applications and connected devices for centralized visibility and control of notifications to 911 first responders and impacted individuals. It manages the critical distribution of alerts and through public address systems, and mobile text, email, voice mail, and push notifications.

3. Rapid Coordination and Response

Within the facets of government itself, communication must also be coordinated. The armed forces, emergency response teams, and officials at the local, state, and federal levels use technology to ensure they have lines of communication open, especially at the time of an emergency.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is one example of technology that’s used to effectively communicate and plan. This systematic approach to emergencies ensures that all officials know their roles and responsibilities. The system allows these officials and branches of government to communicate so they can form a unified and effective response to a disaster or emergency.

When it comes to notifying 1st responders, administration, and staff of an emergency, we need to make sure communications are as quick, clear, and efficient as possible. Havrion’s ALERT is a standalone software-based panic button that is ready for activation 24/7, from any mobile device with IOS or Android. ALERT is directly linked to law enforcement and first responders, making it compliant with Alyssa’s Law* and Emergency Response Protocols (ERP)

4. Predict Hazards With Data 

Technology helps to create predictive models, which can be used to better understand how an emergency or disaster will impact the area. By understanding and viewing the prediction, it’s easier for emergency managers to create an effective plan of action that addresses the concerns that the predictive model brings to light.

Analysis of social data can also offer insight to emergency responders and public health leaders to understand a population’s vulnerability to an emergency event. By using ‘citizens as sensors’ to create a more realistic real-time picture helps in increasing situational awareness to aid decision makers. 

Many areas of technology innovation, emergency management is seeing the evolution of systems that can turn big data into actionable information. For example, Havrion DETECT collects data from its network of sensors and scans for potential hazards. It is a real-time, fully automated detection system that eliminates the need for human activation to initiate a response. DETECT can sense and activate Notifications to 911 and automatically deliver event response procedures to schools facilities and stadiums.

5. Locate Distress Accurately

Location tracking is another essential benefit of emergency and disaster management and response. A global positioning system (GPS) is a location-tracking system that uses satellites to assist with navigation. Similarly, the geographic information system (GIS) uses satellites to provide location information but this technology can track, store, check, and capture data that relates to global positionings, such as streets, vegetation, elevation, or buildings.

Local and state governments use these systems to understand the patterns and relationships between these aspects and the environment. This allows them to monitor the status of a crisis – how it’s affecting local areas, how many people are affected, and what response is needed. 

Create An Intelligent, Emergency-Ready Workplace

In today’s increasingly dangerous climate, every organization must be equipped with an end-to-end emergency management solution to protect their population from all manner of hazards. HAVRION understands this and has developed unified solutions to get ahead of threats by digitizing your work environment.

HAVRION is a single, powerful, easy-to-use solution. Engagement is accelerated, rapid-response alerts are automated, and communication is streamlined. The HAVRION software and API allow for unlimited inputs, sensors, and video connectivity by distributing alerts, notifications, messages, and streaming on Samsung LED displays. This innovative and essential technology integrates solutions, solves mass communication, provides security, and enables management and crowd control.