Tornado Tracking
Independent alarm installer watches and reacts, saving lives
- By Peggy Page
- Nov 01, 2016
April 28, 2014, stands out in the memory of the residents of northern
Mississippi as a violent F4 Tornado left a wake of major damage
killing 10 people and injuring more than 80. The team at Security
Solutions and Communications Inc. in Starkville were ready
to react as the day’s tragedy unfolded. Using NetConnect’s Scroll
Screen they were able to watch the track of the tornado. Then used the information
to contact their customers in the path of the storm and alert first responders
as to where help was needed: all in real time.
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Tornadoes are one of nature’s most vicious disasters. They are born at the edge of
strong thunderstorms and can destroy communities in seconds leaving behind 50
mile long trails of destruction. There is little warning for tornadoes. Despite all
their efforts and research it is still only possible to see the potential for tornadoready
conditions using the most sophisticated Doppler Radars.
Meteorologist use the data collected from radar to send out tornado watches
which typically cover 25,000 square miles. Warnings are only issued after strong
low level rotation is reported by radar or someone reports actual eyes-on a funnel
cloud. Communities activate sirens quickly and issue alerts to the affected area,
but time is short as these storms move very quickly. These storms as very unpredictable
once they hit the ground and can leave emergency response teams scrambling
to know where they are needed first in the aftermath.
When the storm has passed and the damaged assessed security companies often
find themselves inundated with phone calls. Their customers are in need of
batteries to power systems where the electricity of out. Damage to bu artildings
and homes have left systems inadequate or unnecessary as the reconstruction begins. Security Professionals field calls
as they come and actively reach out
to their customers who were in the reported
track of the storm. In the past
they have little choice but to react to the
devastation.
USING NETCONNECT
SentryNet launched Netconnect in 2001
to its dealers. Originally it was to be a
dealer portal allowing access to customer
information 24/7. Through user
input it has become a tool that independent
security installer have come to depend
on to run their office. The “Watch
Scroll” allows the user to watch in real
time any activity coming into the central
station from their accounts. This
permits them to immediately know
what is happening with their customers
and respond sometimes even before the
customer is aware of an issue.
SNapp, SentryNet’s mobile device
app, was released in 2011. Originally
just a way to check the status of your
system, this too has also evolved into
a tool that many security professionals
and their customers depend on.
During the E4 tornadoes on April
28, 2014, the team at Security Solutions
and Communications was
ready with the Watch Scroll loaded so
they could see where they were needed.
Over the years, Bart Williams, owner
of the company, had come to realize
that when smoke detectors get wet they
short and then they go into alarm and
send signals to the central station. His
team was aware to be looking for these
fire alarms so they could assist as needed.
During the storm this was indeed
the case. Bart reports that when that
the call from the central station operator
was often the first call to first responders
of the need for help. Tracie
Cunningham, office manager, and her
team also went to work making calls to
check on their customers.
They spoke to one whom told them
“my house was just blown away” and
another who was trapped in her home.
Between the Central Station Operator
dispatches and the follow up calls by the
Security Solutions Team First responders
knew where help was needed immediately
and thereby able to save lives.
A STORMY GREETING
Following the storm instead of having
to wait on the phone calls Bart Williams
and his team already knew where
help was needed. They hit the road with
water, extra batteries and equipment to
assist their customers and those in the community that he has served for 22
years. The scene he was greeted with
was not one anyone will soon forget as
the storm spared little in its destructive
path. He and his team did what they
could to assist in the aftermath as home
and business owners assessed the damage.
Two years later Williams and Cunningham
each proudly announce that
every customer that had damage has
rebuilt and have continued their service
with them and many of their neighbors
have signed on for service because of
their efforts during and after the storm.
Ten lives were lost during the destruction
that occurred in northern
Mississippi on that April day. There
were 80 people injured, millions of dollars
in damage and lives changed. While
a tornadoes or its path cannot be predicted,
there are way to react better as a
tornado is happening.
Security Solutions and Communications
proved that by using the free tools
provided by SentryNet you can: see
what is happening with your customers,
send help where needed, and aid in the
aftermath of the storm. These real-time
actions create customer loyalty and
build a reputation for your company
as one that looks after the community
in which it operates. Looking to the future
SentryNet has introduced “Notifications”
as a part of SNapp. This will
allow the security company to send out
notices to their SNapp user (s) to their
mobile device. These notices are great
ways to advertise new services or more
importantly alert the user of something
going on at their premise including the
real threat of an F4 tornado.
“It is much harder to get a new
customer than keep an existing one,”
Cunningham said and this simple service
can create customer loyalty as they
know you are looking out for them in
all situations. SentryNet knows its success
is dependent upon the success of
independent dealers like Security Solutions
and communications and will
continue to find new ways to assist
them as they assist
their end-users.
This article originally appeared in the November 2016 issue of Security Today.