Assessing Population Security Needs in the Wake of the Parkland Shooting

We’ve all been heartbroken to see reports flooding in of yet another school shooting on American soil; the violent incident in Parkland, Florida, has not only drawn international attention, but it’s also reopened some important questions about what we can do to keep our population (and especially our children and elders) safe and secure.

By now, you doubtless know all about Nikolas Cruz, who evidently planned the incident in advance, even warning one student to flee the premises before he opened fire. Of course, cowardly shootings can be planned in any environment—from schools to movie theaters to senior living communities even military bases—but by the same token, there’s much we can do to plan the life-saving security measures we implement to minimize the lives lost.

 

The Life-Saving Factor of Communication Technology

One of the main ways we can keep people safe, especially in big crowds, is communication. The ability to immediately alert an entire school, stadium, or shopping mall full of people about potential security threats can help facilitate a quick evacuation—potentially saving many lives in the process. Situational awareness technology can provide just this sort of solution, sending widespread alerts via text messaging and other channels.

 

Senior Living Environments

This type of communication technology is important in any context, but we’re especially zealous about safety in senior living environments. It’s so important for us to protect the lives of the vulnerable, and that includes the elderly. Meanwhile, those who work in the elder care industry are constantly seeking technological innovations to help them administer better, higher standards of safety and care.

Mass communication and situational awareness systems can provide much-needed information about safety threads to the entire senior living staff—letting them know what they need to do to keep their people safe and sound.

 

Other Commercial Applications

Of course, senior living is just one example of where life-saving communication technology can be implemented. Schools, malls, office buildings, movie theaters—these are the highly-trafficked and highly-public places where most shootings and violent events tend to unfold.

 

Integrated IT and Life-Safety Solutions by Salient Networks

Salient Networks is committed to technology that makes people’s lives better; that makes people safer; in short, technology that works. We only provide systems and solutions that we know to be trustworthy, reliable even in moments of crisis. We are passionate about life safety and have developed innovative and effective life safety systems for many of the environments mentioned above.

Here are just a few of the ways in which we’ve helped keep people safe through technology.

 

Mass Notification

When it comes to dangerous and emergency situations—such as an active shooter—it’s important to be able to send an immediate notification to everyone in the affected area, conveying what’s going and what can be done to ensure safety.

 

Emergency/ Disaster Communication

Specifically, emergency communication systems can provide these features:

• Call, text and/or emailing solutions for large groups in need of critical information during emergency.
• Communication grouping. For example: two buildings needed different actions (one needs evacuation and the other needs to just take shelter and remain in place).
• Tools that can make hundreds of simultaneous calls or other outreaches and request for acknowledgement.
• Exception report to be sent to administrators for recipients who are unable to receive/acknowledge the message.
• Daily updates: can be utilized as day to day fashion to keep in the know about what’s happening, any closings or security updates, etc.

 

Emergency Lockdown

In addition to communication, technology can also be used to secure the premises of a building or campus—for example, in case of an emergency, an automated shutdown can secure all perimeter doors, all with the single push of a button. If you have advance warning of a potential threat, this is another measure that could be truly life-saving, and on a mass scale.

 

Products and Services by Salient Networks

Through a partnership with Salient Networks, you can equip your building or facility with life-saving technologies, including the most current and innovative communication systems.

A few examples of our product offerings include:

• SARA by Status Solutions – Emergency call systems, nurse call type applications, processes and generates outcalls, text messages, and more.
• Hosted phone services.
• Customer-owned phone system integrated to SARA to place an ample of simultaneous outbound calls.
• Access Control System that allows for one-button door lock function (highly useful for shooter on campus scenario).
• Video surveillance solutions

 

Salient Networks is in the business of technology—but we’re also in the business of keeping people safe. We believe technology can be incredibly useful in emergency and disaster scenarios. We invite you to contact our experts today to learn more about bringing true security to your place of business. Reach out to Salient Networks today!