Whether you manage a healthcare center, college campus, sports arena, or other facility, the safety of your visitors is likely to be a top concern. It is critical that IT managers implement an integrated, thoughtful critical paging system that is designed to safeguard against failure during emergency situations to ensure a well-functioning emergency response plan. In today’s blog we explore the features of an effective critical paging system. Learn more below.
Establishing an effective critical paging system is crucial for ensuring the safety of your facility.
Components of an Effective, Integrated Critical Paging System
During emergencies, clear and concise communication is crucial to ensuring safety. While alarms are an important first step, it is important to include a critical paging system that is capable of delivering informational messages during emergencies. There are a number of factors that will influence a system’s effectiveness. These include:
Proper infrastructure
An integrated system that utilizes standard network infrastructure will be much more reliable and effective than one that relies on redundant paths to guard against failure of singular devices. The Ethernet network infrastructure must be stable and reliable, either by utilizing either Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) or Resilient Ethernet Protocol (REP) to manage duplicate paths and automatically switch between them in the case of failure.
Safeguards against amplifier malfunction
Amplifier malfunction is one of the most frequently experienced failures in a critical paging system and thus it is critical to utilize multiple strategies to ensure proper functioning. The amplifier should be designed with multiple layers of redundancy including channel failover, device failover, and network redundancy. Other important features include integrated emergency message storage, compensation for ambient noise, and speaker line monitoring.
Adequate paging stations
Paging stations are at risk of failure due to user errors such as dropping delicate equipment or failure to detect and report device problems. At least two paging stations should be made available at every facility and these should be connected with at least two Ethernet switches to safeguard against switch failure. Regular, automated monitoring by the system is very important so that when failures are detected, the appropriate staff can be notified of the need for repairs.
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Source:
http://www.campussafetymagazine.com/article/deploying_a_modern_networked_critical_paging_system_for_campus_safety/notification
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