Why Communication is Key in an Emergency

• By Monique Merhige
• Sep 13, 2024

During an emergency, communication with the outside world can be a critical component when it comes to response time and saving lives. Emergency communications typically consist of alerts and warnings; directives about evacuating the premises; information about response status, and other matters that can impact response and recovery.

Too often active shooter situations can escalate quickly and get out of hand within seconds. In our society, the threat can be found at schools, places of worship, grocery stores, office buildings, hospitals, malls, movie theaters, or stadiums, as the list can go on and on.

In response, the security industry has introduced innovative security technologies over the years to help mitigate risk such as new access control readers, mobile credentials, wireless locks, metal detectors and AI video surveillance cameras. However, there is still a big issue during an emergency that needs to be addressed before real improvements are made.

This includes giving first responders the situational awareness they require to make life or death decisions. First responders rarely have eyes or ears on the lockdown area, which has created a need for an easier way to communicate with responders. It is crucial to give them situational awareness so they can make decisions that yield the best possible outcomes. A common issue plaguing the security industry is how to disseminate information to first responders and law enforcement during an emergency.

“Being able to communicate accurate and real-time information is crucial in any active shooter or emergency situation,” said David Antar, MSSI vice president of IPVideo, Motorola Solutions. It is time to solve the communication debacle and deploy a comprehensive emergency communications solution that can help save lives.

SentryERS is an effective way for schools, hospitals and businesses to protect children, staff, patients, visitors and first responders from death and injury during active shooter and other incidents.

With the simple push of a lockdown button on the base unit, an entire lockdown protocol is initiated. This can include the locking of doors; triggering PA announcements; activating strobe lights throughout a facility and on units; playing audible lockdown messages from units; pinpointing location beacons, notifying police dispatch, security, administration, and/or the community; and establishing live audio and video communication with first responders to assess and address the critical situation.  

Opening the Door to Clear Communications
SentryERS also comes with a dedicated mobile smartphone for those in distress to broadcast a secondary video stream and communicate with first responders live, providing all the latest real time information at the scene.

“Accurate and real time information is paramount in active shooter situations,” Antar said.

Some features include gunshot detection, panic button activation, keyword activation, aggression/audio detection, event reporting application, optional dispatch sources, lockdown drill mode, event mobility, and privacy mode. When providing solutions for safety, it is imperative to understand the importance of maintaining citizen privacy. To address privacy concerns, the cameras and audio communication are always OFF and set to privacy mode until the lockdown is activated and the SentryERS Phone is pulled, or the deployment of the panic button. The system can also be configured to turn on for other alerts such as keyword, gunshot and audible detection.

Organizations now have a simple, easy and fast lockdown system at their fingertips. The benefits of this emergency communication solution include faster responses to critical threats, better informed/prepared first responders, improved emergency preparedness and complete respect for privacy. By integrating video, voice, text and GPS location data from classrooms and other areas where traditional video cameras cannot be deployed; individuals can now rest easy knowing that all areas are monitored.

When it comes to schools, teachers can have their privacy protected and still have the security they need in the classroom. “We are receiving great feedback from teachers throughout the country who are in desperate need of new technology to help them lockdown their classrooms quickly and get the help they need when they need it,” Antar said.

Moving forward, emergency communications will be top on the priority list. Society will need to keep improving security measures to ensure a safe and healthy world. With innovative technology being introduced and adopted, the right tools are available to combat violence by effectively preparing, communicating and notifying the right people within seconds of any situation. You never know when an emergency will arise; but having an emergency communication system in place will give people peace of mind knowing they are prepared for anything.

This article originally appeared in the September / October 2024 issue of Security Today.