You may know what the public address system is. The PA system is commonly found in schools, movie theaters, arenas, and stadiums. They will also be found in malls, airports, and train stations. Anywhere that is bound to be densely packed with people and where an emergency of any kind could cause a large-scale panic. However, modern advances in emergency notification technology have made handling large crowds much simpler.
Existing Technology Infrastructure
As it is, the PA system is over a hundred years old. The Automatic Enunciator, designed by the Electric Company of Chicago, goes back to 1910. Hospitals, stores, train stations, and factories all had them. Announcements and emergency alerts all became easier to make with this system in place. But the evolution of technology hasn’t made it completely obsolete, even if you think it might. Now, as time marches on, some innovations and improvements give rise to new solutions that you already use in your business every day.
New Solutions
One of the new technologies that many businesses depend on these days is called the Emergency Communication System, also known as the ECS. Multiple channels are used to contact stakeholders whenever an emergency arises. Emails, text messages, voice calls, social media, loudspeakers, fire alarms, and emergency lights are all integrated into one massive system that also includes the company website. Corporations, hospitals, schools, and research facilities often use this system to reach their employees and community members.
The Differences Between Communication and Notification
The ECS allows for rapid two-way communication during an emergency, which is vital in these situations. However, an Emergency Notification System, also called an ENS, is only one-way, and thus less effective. The ENS could cause evacuations to take much longer than necessary and cause its own set of problems in the process.
Now and the Future
A century from now, we will probably still be using some form of PA system. Even so, no one knows what the future holds. That’s why it’s smart to start preparing for any events that could happen, even if they haven’t happened recently, or might not have happened at all during the existence of your business. Although the ECS can always be improved upon, it is still the system that is much more favored by commercial clients.
Trust the Professionals at ARK Systems
Located in Columbia, Maryland, ARK Systems provides unsurpassed quality and excellence in the security industry, from system design through to installation. We handle all aspects of security with local and remote locations. With over 30 years in the industry, ARK Systems is an experienced security contractor. Trust ARK to handle your most sensitive data storage, surveillance, and security solutions.
Contact ARK Systems at 1-800-995-0189 or click here today. Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!