Emergency communication system
An Emergency communication
system (ECS) is any system (typically computer based) that is organized for
the primary purpose of supporting the two way communication of emergency
messages between both individuals and groups of individuals. These systems are
commonly designed to integrate the cross-communication of messages between are
variety of communication technologies.
Emergency Communication vs. Notification
An emergency notification system refers to
a collection of methods that facilitate the one-way dissemination or broadcast
of messages to one or many groups of people with the details of an occurring or
pending emergency situation. Mass text messaging services such as Twitter, mass
automated dialing services such as Reverse 911, and the common town siren
systems that are used to alert for tornadoes, tsunami, air-raid, etc, are
examples of emergency notification systems. Emergency Communication Systems
often provide or integrate the same services but will also include two-way
communications typically to facilitate communications between emergency
communications staff and first responders in the field.
Another distinguishing attribute of the term
Emergency Communication Systems may be that is can connote the ability to
provide detailed and meaningful information about an evolving emergency and
actions that might be taken, whereas notification connotes a relatively more
simplistic conveyance of the existence and general nature of an emergency.
Other Related and Similar Terms
Being a collection of methods that are often
incorporated in many diverse settings in varying ways, there are numerous
words, terms, phrases, and jargon that are used interchangeably among the
entities that utilize or have a need for emergency communication systems. Many
times, these are all used to refer to the same or substantially similar
concept. For example, use of the terms “emergency communications” and
“emergency telecommunications” may refer to the same concept.
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Attributes of Emergency Communication Systems
Timeliness and Speed of Delivery
An emergency, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is
an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls
for immediate action.
As such, it should be considered critically important that any communication
about an emergency be timely and quick to disseminate, in order to mitigate
damage or loss of life. For example, during the Virginia Tech massacre, about two hours had
passed before the first communication (an email) was sent to staff and
students; and by that time, the gunman had already entered and secured a
building in which he was shortly to begin his attack. In that case, it wasn't
until about 20 minutes after the shootings began, that a loudspeaker
announcement was made for people to take cover.In many cases, it's likely obvious that mere seconds and minutes are absolutely
critical.
Ease of Use
During a crisis, users need to quickly and easily
launch their notifications, and they need to be able to do so in a way that
provides confidence, with an intuitive and easy to use interface.
According to Timecruiser, an emergency communication system that’s designed for
non-technical users will ensure successful administration and usage. During
emergency situations, sometimes life threatening, campus administrators must be
able to react to the situation quickly and trigger the alert system swiftly.
Yet emergency alert is probably among the least used and least familiar
processes. Ease-of-use therefore is critical to the solution’s success.
However, in order to support a robust, meaningful
and capable emergency communication ability, this ease of use should not
preclude the utilization of a complex, technologically advanced system. A
sufficiently advanced and complex system should provide the added ability of
coordinating multiple components to act in concert, to initiate and propagate
emergency communications. The key here is in such a system bearing these
advanced capabilities, while still being easy for the user to operate for both
emergency and everyday communications, not only for effective emergency
communication, but also for an organization to realize the most return on investment.
Affordability
Overall, the more affordable the cost of
procuring, installing, and maintaining an emergency communication systems is,
the more prolific such systems may become; and the more prolific these systems
are, the more likely it is that these systems will be available to aid in times
of emergency in more locations. According to Federal Signal, beyond supporting
emergency response, today’s mass notification systems have proven to be a
valuable asset for everyday, non-emergency, intra- and inter-plant
communications. This has become particularly evident in the deployment of
interoperable, multi-device communications technology that not only enhances
overall plant communications, but provides a host of useful software-based
management and administrative tools. Additionally, many of the more traditional
approaches to mass notification, i.e., public address and intercom systems,
e-mail, and voice and text messaging, provide everyday functionality for plant
communications and process control that represents attractive potential for
return on investment.[34]
Providing Instructions
A clearly needed attribute of any modern
emergency communication system is the ability to not only provide notification
of an emergency, but to also provide clear and actionable instructions for how
to respond to an emergency. In a study by the Rehabilitation Engineering
Research Center
for Wireless Technologies, it was revealed that regardless of the initial form
of notification, a secondary form was necessary before action would be taken.
This supports the important observation that providing clear and concise
instructions may reduce dependency on such secondary verfication; and thus,
providing instructions may save lives in an urgent emergency situation.
Specific Audiences or Recipients
There may be the need to have multiple different
communications happening simultaneously for the same emergency. For example, in
a fire, a building's occupants need to be told how to evacuate (where to go),
while the first responders might need to know where the fire was detected.
Redundancy
There should be multiple means of delivering
emergency information so that if one should fail, others may get through.
Also, according to the Partnership for Public Warning, research shows clearly
that more than one channel of communication will be consulted by people at risk
in order to confirm the need for action.
The public expects to be contacted in a variety of ways. Besides phone calls
and emails, citizens also expect to be reached via text
messaging, and fax.
In addition, the public may look to social
media as another vehicle to receive messages and check in on updates.
Additionally, the Partnership for Public Warning
states, “A single warning is frequently insufficient to move people to action,
especially if it cannot be confirmed by direct observation. For most people the
first warning received captures their attention and triggers a search for
corroboration, but cannot be relied on to elicit the desired behavior.
Scientific research supports the common-sense observation that people are
disinclined to risk being fooled by a single alarm that might prove false or
accidental. Effective warning requires the coordinated use of multiple channels
of communication.”
Interoperability
A fire control system's RS-232
data connection which an emergency communication system may interface with
To support these attributes, an emergency
communication system should be able to connect to and communicate with other
related systems. According to the Partnership for Public Warning, a fundamental
problem is the lack of technical and procedural interoperability among warning
originators, system providers, delivery systems, and warning recipients.
Originators of warnings must undertake expensive, redundant tasks using
multiple, dissimilar tools and techniques to take full advantage of today's
warning systems.
Also, there are multiple ways that an emergency
communication system might obtain an original warning. One example of this
might be the case of a building’s fire control system dispatching a notice that
a smoke detector has activated. A properly designed emergency communication system
should be able to receive that notice and process it into a message that the
building’s occupants can understand and take action on in order to save life
and property. Another example might be of the National Weather Service sending an EAS severe weather warning (e.g. via RSS feed or similar). In
that case, the emergency communication system should be able to process and
disseminate the warning in a similar way as the smoke detector example, and
inform people of what actions to take.
The ability to interoperate should also consider
the need to be both forward and backward compatible with older and
yet-to-be-conceived technologies. Introduction of a system that cannot
interoperate with previously deployed equipment creates potentially serious
barriers to effective operation.
Product versus Service
An emergency communication system may be composed
of a product and its associated hardware and software, as owned by the entity
using it (e.g. an on-site paging network), or as a service owned and provided
by a third-party (e.g. a cellular carrier’s SMS network). Each have
their own advantages and disadvantages; however, despite perception otherwise,
services have some major inherent problems when it comes to effective emergency
communications.
Premise Based versus Non-Premise Based
Premise based emergency communication systems are
those which primarily or wholly exist in the same geographical or structural
area as it serves, while non-premise based emergency communication systems are
those which exist in a different geographical or structural area. There are
advantages and disadvantages of each. Often, non-premise based systems are
slower than those that are premise-based, because at the very least, the
different locations need to be connected via (usually public) data networks,
which may be susceptible to disruption or delay.
Broadcast Technologies
Weather Radios
Perhaps the oldest or most basic form of public
communication is that which includes such staples as over-the-air television,
sirens, radio, etc. More modern components (using the same concept) might
include lights and giant voice systems. These all have one thing in common:
they broadcast indiscriminately to anyone who has the means to receive the
message; whether they are simply in the immediate area or require some sort of
receiving device.
Broadcast technologies use point-to-point communications
methodology and may either require infrastructure
or not. Examples of broadcast technologies requiring infrastructure might
include such things as Reverse 911 and broadcast-affiliate
networks.
Infrastructure-Independent
Broadcast technologies that do not depend on
man-made infrastructure to convey communication may be least susceptible to
disruption during disasters and emergencies. Some examples of
infrastructure-independent technologies are:
- Short-wave Radio
Short-wave
(or Amateur) radio is a relatively long range method of communicating using
radio waves. Because of the nature of radio wave propagation, communications
made via short-wave radio can be intercepted and heard by anyone with the
proper equipment and knowledge. However, due to their reliance only on
electrical power (which can be obtained via batteries, solar, and other
alternative means) and Earth's ionosphere, they are ideal for some of the worse-case
emergency scenarios. One disadvantage may be that one requires training and licensing to operate a
short-wave radio, in many countries.
- Two-way Radio
Two-way
radio consists of at least two devices (typically portable and hand-held)
that are capable of transmitting and receiving communications to each other,
using radio waves. Similar to short-wave, this type of communication is also
able to be intercepted and heard by anyone with the proper equipment. However,
unlike short-wave, this communication equipment is restricted by range (usually
several miles, at most), but is relatively simple to operate and the main power
source is usually provided by batteries. Two-way radios are in-use by many
emergency responders on a daily basis, so they require minimal concentration to
operate in the stress of an emergency situation, since the person operating it
is already familiar with it. Additionally, many non-professionals may use
unlicensed two-way radios, as is common with CB radio, Family Radio Service or PMR446.
- Weather Radio
A weather
radio is a device which receives normal and emergency weather broadcasts.
It may automatically turn on whenever an emergency is eminent or occurring,
providing an alarm as well as a description of the situation.
Anyone with a weather radio device can receive these broadcasts.
Infrastructure-Dependent
Audio public address speakers
Broadcast technologies that depend on man-made
infrastructure to convey communication are susceptible to disruption if any
part of that infrastructure is overloaded, damaged or otherwise destroyed. Some
examples of infrastructure-dependent technologies are:
- Audio Public Address Systems
A system which
can provide audio (usually spoken language) messaging capability, usually
consisting of microphone devices, wiring, and speakers installed in public
areas of buildings. These systems are typically located indoors or in smaller outdoor
areas with multiple speakers, due to their speakers' individual volume being
too limited for large areas. Usually connected together by wiring requiring
electricity, these systems may be vulnerable to electrical disruption or any
other event which results in the wires being severed or disconnected.
- L.E.D. Electronic Signs
An electronic
sign that visually displays messages using arrays of light-emitting-diodes, or
L.E.D.’s., and connected to a control device. These types of signs may be
relatively affordable and are easy to install, making them a common choice for
organizations wishing to use electronic forms of visual communication. Common
means of connecting these devices include ethernet or serial communication cabling.
- Combination Audio/Visual Public Address Devices
Any device which
combines the audio capability of a PA system with the visual capability of an
electronic sign (usually of the L.E.D. variety). These, too, rely on
infrastructure to operate.
LCD digital sign
- Digital Signage
Similar to
combination audio/vidual PA devices, yet much more advanced, digital
signage usually refers to flat-panel monitors capable of displaying
high-resolution or high-definition media, videos, pictures,
multimedia presentations, and text. Typically using the same components as
televisions (or may actually be televisions), they usually also have the
capability of providing sound. Due to these capabilities, digital signage may
have the ability to provide redundancy with other systems, or may be able to
replace them, entirely. However, these types of systems are usually more
expensive than simple L.E.D. electronic signs, which makes it important to
garner as much utility from them as possible, for maximum return on investment. Over time, though, this
technology has become relatively more affordable, resulting in digital signage
being used in more venues — usually for non-emergency purposes, such as
displaying news, weather, directions, etc. Some uses of digital signage related
to emergency communication systems include: displaying building floorplans,
maps, evacuation routes, and first
responder situational awareness (such as showing a
firefighter where a fire has been detected).
Speakers used for giant voice
systems
- Giant Voice Systems
A system focused
on providing auditory messaging capability for large outdoor areas, being able
to transmit voice and sounds over large distances, without the need for a large
number of speakers. These systems are commonly used on military bases and
chemical manufacturing plants, for example. These allow specific instructions
to be broadcast over a large area, however may be subject to substantial echo
and distortion. This forces unnatural speech, on the part of the warning
originator, and may be extremely difficult for the listener to perceive. This
fact has prompted some to primarily rely on tones and coded signals that the
audience must be familiar with. Even though these can be heard over a large
area, the high-powered speakers must still be connected to the communication
originator via some sort of infrastructure, meaning they might have a certain
level of vulnerability to disruption.
Communication Devices
Communication Devices
There are primarily two major types of
communication devices: those for individual people and those for groups of
people. A Private communication device is a device that is designed to deliver
communication to one person at a time via a single process. Typically a single
person is in control of such a device which is typically not shared. Examples
include: a cellular phone, a text message on a cell phone, an email, or a
message over a 2 way radio. Public communication devices are those that are
designed to deliver a communication to more than one person via a single
process at the same time. Examples include: a digital electronic sign, a loud
speaker that is part of a PA system, or a large flat panel display on a wall.
Public Devices
Public communication refers to the conveyance of
messages to people, in such a way that anyone may receive the communication at
nearly the same time as anyone else, typically using a common device. The most
common way of facilitating public communications is by using devices that are
incorporated into some public venue, such as public-address systems or digital
signage. Public warning empowers people at risk to take actions to reduce losses
from natural hazards, accidents, and acts of terrorism.
Private Devices
Private communication refers to the conveyance of
messages to a specific individual, in a private manner or in such a way that
even those nearby may not get the message. Common ways of facilitating private
communications involve devices such as telephones or electronic mail.
Example of SMS text message
received on a mobile phone
- Mobile Phones
Mobiles phones
may be considered a private communication device, because they are usually
associated with or owned by a single individual. One possible limitation of
using mobile phones for emergency communications, in a bomb-threat situation,
for example, might include the potential of cellular networks being disabled
for fear that a bomb might be detonated using a cellular phone.
- Line-based Phones
These phones, in
whole or in part (e.g. a cordless telephone with base station), are physically
connected to and rely upon a wire (often called a landline) to operate. As with
mobile phones, these are often associated with a single person, family or
business. Regardless, this method may be considered private due to a single
phone device’s inherent weakness in reaching large numbers of people at the
same time.
- SMS/Text Messaging
SMS text
messages should be considered a type of private communication because they are
directed toward a specific mobile phone number; and, thus, they are designed to
reach one person at a time without the general public knowing anything about
the message. A limitation in using SMS messaging for emergencies might be that
it doesn't meet the needs of emergency communication: that is, it must be
highly reliable, have excellent access control, and high-speed delivery.[46]
- Social Media - Syndicated Emergency Communications
- Twitter is an online social networking and micro-blogging service utilizing SMS text messaging. While it wasn’t intended or designed for high performance communication, the idea that it could be used for emergency communication certainly was not lost on the originators, who knew that the service could have wide-reaching effects early on, when the San-Francisco, California-based company used it to communicate during earthquakes.[47]
- Facebook may have potential for emergency communication, as it has a large involved user-base.
- Electronic Mail
Email should be
considered a type of private communication because it is sent to a specific
email address, which is associated with a person. Emails can be sent to
multiple people, but even this results in multiple individual copies of the
email that are ultimately sent to their individual recipients.
Example of an emergency-oriented
scrolling instant messenger
- Emergency-Oriented Instant Messengers / Computer Screen Pop Ups
Personal
computer instant messengers have become popular and inexpensive technologies by
which to deliver emergency communications to broad or specific audiences in a
short period of time. With this technology, emergency communications will
"pop up" on the personal computer screens as a new window that sits
on top of any other window that may be open on the screen at the time. This
technology utilizes LAN and/or WAN networks to deliver short messages, often
less than about 120 characters in length, typically in real time. The speed of modern
LAN and WAN technologies and the shortness of such messages makes it possible
to deliver emergency messages to thousands of computer screens in less than a
minute's time.
In private
communications, a computer pop-up can be targeted to a specific user, i.e. one
that is logged-in to the computer or is associated with that computer in some
way. The emergency communication system should be able to define the
relationship between the user and his or her computer. A potential limitation
of this is that if a user is not logged-in, then the operating system may not
allow any messages to display.
In the case of
public-oriented emergency communications, a computer pop-up ability might prove
useful for public computers or interactive
kiosks where more than one person might use it, or for computers with
displays that are in prominent locations. In this case, the pop-up might also
need to be easily read from a distance, and be able to get attention — similar
to how a digital sign may be used. These might be structured as a notification
window with static non-moving text, or as a window with scrolling text.
Emergency
communications may require certain attributes that are not commonly found in
standard instant messengers, here is a list of attributes that may prove
valuable to emergency-oriented instant messengers:
·
Prevents the user from killing the program which
would prevent the delivery of emergency messages.
·
Delivers emergency messages in a large font that
can be easily read a substantial distance from the screen.
Example of an emergency-oriented
scrolling instant messenger
·
Scrolls the message across the screen to attact
attention and to ensure that the entire message can be displayed without any
user effort. Scrolling the message may also allow for the use of a large font
and readability from a distance.
·
Non-chat oriented, ensures that the software
will be setup for a large scrolling font.
·
Supports many priorities for messages, ensuring
that emergency messages are not lost in the crowd of common messages that may
appear in the computer screen.
·
Support a noncounterfeit-able signature as part
of the message to insure the recipient that the communication can be trusted
and that it comes from a known authority.
·
Supports both 1 to 1 and one to many communication.
·
Emergency-oriented instant messenger require
that the sender of the message have the ability to update messages that are
appearing on users PC screens without the recipient needing to take any action.
·
The sender of an emergency message must have the
ability to terminate the display (remove) a message from display on all of the
screens that display the message by closing the window in which it is
displayed.
·
Supports communications to arbitrary groups of
PC, by lists of PC, by lists of users, and by IP address ranges. Each of these
addressability options are optimal in specific circumstances and reduce the
labor of administration.
Using instant
messaging for emergency communications may also present some limitations:
·
If the PC is not connected to the network it
will not display the message. This means that the network is another potiential
point of failure.
·
If the PC is logged off or if the Screen saver
is active and requires a password to access the screen, then conventional
knowledge posits that it will prevent the delivery of the emengency message.
Limitations of Emergency Communication Systems
Depending on the location, time, and nature of
the emergency, a large variety of limitations could present themselves when it
comes to communicating details of an emergency and any resultant actions that
may need to be taken to protect life and property. For example, an audio public
address system might be rendered ineffective if the emergency happens to be an explosive
event which renders most or all of those affected deaf. Another common
example might be the limitation of a fire alarm’s siren component in a deaf
school. Yet another example of a limitation could be the overloading of public
services (such as cellular phone networks), resulting in the delay of vital SMS
messages that may be too late.
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