Integrating with Existing Technologies to Provide Complete Notification Coverage
Overview
Location: Asheboro, North Carolina
Enrollment: 2,700+
Campus Type: Rural
Campus Size: 44 Acres
Randolph Community College initially used an older, antiquated mass notification system (MNS) that didn’t allow the college to integrate with existing technology and assets on campus. They liked the scalability of the Alertus System, allowing the college to add Alertus’ hardware components in a phased approach.
Challenge
Randolph Community College (RCC), located in Asheboro, North Carolina, initially used an older, antiquated mass notification system (MNS) that didn’t allow the college to integrate with existing technology and assets on campus. They integrated Rave’s SMS service (they previously used Regroup, which Alertus also has an integration) and phone system into their mass notification procedure. However, the MNS in place did not make simultaneous activation as efficient as RCC had hoped.
Matthew Needham, Director of Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the IT team at RCC decided to look into other options to see how their MNS could be streamlined and simplified. His colleagues learned about Alertus from neighboring colleges using the system.
Solution
Randolph began their relationship with Alertus as a “Safe in Seconds” grant recipient (an Alertus program that provides the Alertus Desktop™ Notification at no cost to schools and non-profit organizations). Upon deploying the free desktop alerting software, the college concluded Alertus was the most comprehensive, cost-efficient mass notification solution. Needham liked the scalability of the Alertus System, allowing the college to add Alertus’ hardware components in a phased approach.
Comprehensive Emergency Notification
Since upgrading their system, Randolph has integrated the Alertus System with Rave’s SMS service, Cisco VoIP phones, and an outdoor speaker system previously installed by BRG.
“BRG is a bell-type system, so while we no longer use BRG’s software, we are still using their speakers,” said Needham. “So we integrated Alertus’s IP Text-to-Speech (TTS) Interface with our older BRG speaker system.”
Alertus Text-to-Speech Interface provides clear spoken voice output of message text
They have one IP TTS Interface connected to the Alertus Fire Panel Interface, with speakers inside and outside their photography building, another IP TTS Interface connected to an amplifier, and BRG speakers throughout their continuing education building, and another in their bell tower.
RCC utilizes Alertus’ DesktopTM Notification, Desktop Activator, and the Activator App on their campus. They use the activator buttons to send alerts for security, ambulance, mental health, or active shooter scenarios. They also use Alertus’ ThreathWatcher™ service to distribute automated severe weather alerts from their county.
Outside of mass notification, Randolph incorporates the Alertus System with their Access Control System. If there is an intruder, they can activate the Alertus System to automatically lock building doors across campus, utilizing one central Alert Beacon® in their main server room.
Alertus Desktop Activator provides immediate, easy, single-point activation for emergency notification
Randolph is a smaller, rural community college, so Needham credits the Desktop Activator for facilitating communication in the campus community. “The two-way desktop activator buttons allow us to distribute and receive information from our students, faculty, and staff,” said Needham. “Communication is critical, and we wanted to ensure we had a platform to facilitate the two-way street of delivering and receiving information.”
Preparing for Emergency Scenarios
On the importance of mass notification systems, Needham noted the need for accurate and timely information. “People want information, and if you don’t give it to them, they will find it elsewhere or make it up,” he said. “It is essential to have a communication platform that delivers information in real-time; otherwise, you are behind the curve.”