AtHoc IWSAlerts Product Features

AtHoc IWSAlerts can manage the emergency notification process across your entire enterprise. Using a web-based console, operators from any location within the organization can activate alerts to virtually any device, track responses and view accountability reports. Automatic notifications can be triggered by physical sensors and data feeds. Notification processes can be defined to support both enterprise-wide and individual department needs.

Web-based console for managing the entire notification process

Unified Notifications to All Devices

Through a single, unified interface, AtHoc IWSAlerts allows you to quickly communicate a consistent message across multiple channels and delivery devices (customizable messaging per device) – all IP-network integrated. The information is sent through multiple and redundant means, including:

• Networked Computers – Pop-up notifications to IP-connected desktops
• Networked IP Phone Displays – 2-way audio-visual (text, video, images) alerts to IP phone displays and speakers (Cisco IP phones)
• Telephony – Alerts to any land, VoIP, or mobile phone via on-site or hosted mass dialing services
• Text-messaging – (SMS) mobile phones, pagers, BlackBerry devices
• Smartphones – Rapid and scalable delivery of notifications smartphones native applications, response collection and location tracking
• Email – Secure, digitally PKI-signed email delivery with responses using the organizations’ email address (i.e., .mil, .gov)
• Social Networks – Send alerts through social networking channels, i.e., Facebook and Twitter
• Indoor and Outdoor Speakers – Sirens and PA systems
• Cable TV and Display Boards – Text, image, or video alerts to digital displays
• Radio Broadcasts – Audio broadcasts to local stations
• Land Mobile Radios – Transmit alerts to security forces handheld LMR
• Building Safety/Fire Protection – Integrates with existing fire alarm systems
• XML Feeds – Output standard XML feeds (RSS, Atom and others)
• National Emergency Alert System (EAS)

  Through a single web-based management console, launch and manage all communication channels simultaneously. Channels include computers, phones (cell, landline, VoIP), PDAs, pagers, BlackBerry devices, computer kiosks, sirens, TV, radio and PA systems		AtHoc IWSAlerts unifies all alerting channels, including triggering alerts to Giant Voice/PA systems and          digital displays

   

  Response Tracking and Reporting for Personnel Accountability

  During an emergency, all alert recipients receive multiple response options for reporting their status and acknowledgement on all personal communication channels (e.g., desktop, phone, SMS or email). The delivery, receipt and responses of the alerts are tracked in real-time, giving operators either a summary view or detailed delivery report for each alert recipient, exported in PDF, CSV, Excel and more, providing critical accountability and visibility into the status of personnel across the enterprise.

  Real-time response tracking provides accountability and visibility into the safety and status of all personnel

  
  

  Personnel Can Be Targeted by Organization, Geography, or Individual Names

  AtHoc IWSAlerts can target people based on organizational structure, distribution lists, physical location, individual name or dynamic database query. Personal and mass notification devices (such as sirens and display boards) can be targeted using visual geographic maps, enabling the selection of buildings, regions or zones to be notified. Dynamic targeting uses a combination of attributes such as individual, role, location or IP address. During the publishing flow, an operator can block or remove individual recipients by name from a targeted distribution list set for notifications.

   

  Event Monitoring and System Interoperability

  Emergency alerts are often triggered by physical sensors (e.g., fire alarms, video surveillance and chemical detectors) or external data sources (e.g., National Weather Service content feeds). AtHoc IWSAlerts can monitor these events and automatically activate any pre-configured emergency scenario. By utilizing Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), XML and Web services, AtHoc IWSAlerts also enables communication with external systems such as federal, state, and local agencies for information sharing and interoperability.

  Monitoring external sensors and event sources, including critical weather conditions using the AtHoc Weather Alerts Module

   

  Up-to-Date Contact Information and Self-Service

  Maintaining the accuracy of personnel contact information is crucial for the success of any large-scale emergency notification system. AtHoc IWSAlerts addresses this challenge via a four-tiered approach:

  • Integration with Organizational Repositories – AtHoc IWSAlerts concurrently integrates with multiple enterprise user directories to continuously synchronize personal and organizational information. Supported repositories include Active Directory, LDAPv3,and common HRMS applications.
  • Stale Data Cleanup – Operators may also disable and delete end user accounts and corresponding contact information based on customizable user criteria, e.g., users not logged in for 60 days, enhancing notification accuracy for improved accountability.
  • Operator Management – Local operators can either manually update contact information for their local personnel or import personnel rosters in common file formats such as CSV or XLS.
  • User Self-Service – Individual end users can access and modify their own personal information and device preferences through a web-based, self-service portal, as well as view their personal alert Inbox.