I'm sure we all cringed last Wednesday when we heard that gunshots may have been fired at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The campus was in lockdown for several hours on October 23, 2008, because police were alerted shots had been fired on the campus, and that gunmen were seen in a building on a satellite campus.
School officials immediately activated the campus emergency warning system to tell students and employees to remain indoors. Thankfully, an “all clear” signal was issued about two hours later after police searched the campus and found no threats.
While police didn't find any evidence that a shooting had occurred, V.P. for Student Affairs Howard Bailey, said that campus officials didn’t regret activating the campus emergency warning system by sending a series of text and e-mail messages and using a loudspeaker to broadcast alerts.
In a news conference the next day, University President Gary Ransdell said he was very pleased that the emergency communication system worked and that officials responded quickly: “The situation provided a real test of Western’s crisis communication system, and it prevailed.”
Mr. Ransdell even sent an e-mail message to parents praising the campuses response.
When time is of the essence and safety is the priority, the emergency communications system that the campus implemented worked efficiently and effectively. And while we hope we never have to use CME to respond to an incident as serious as this, we know that it can help fulfill the need of school officials to respond proactively and do everything they could to do to keep their campus safe.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
When the School Bus Is Late...
If you’ve ever waited for a late school bus to bring your kids home, you know how fast the anxiety and worry can start to build with every minute. Five minutes goes by, then 10, then 15. And finally, you see the big yellow bus lumbering down the road. Now, imagine you had to wait for an hour, or even 2, without knowing where your kids are.
This happened last winter in Waterbury, Connecticut. According to The Republican-American newspaper, a sudden snow squall in December of 2007 left about 900 city children stranded on school buses, some until 10 p.m. Parents of students, some as young as 3, were unaware of the bus delays because there was no reliable system of notification.
What a nightmare for those parents, as well as those school secretaries and administrators that were no doubt fielding tons of phones calls from worried and upset parents.
The chief operating officer for the Waterbury school district said that this incident “prompted the need for a quicker way to notify parents." Since then, the district has implemented a state-of-the-art emergency notification system.
With the technology available today, there’s no reason for incidents like the one in Waterbury to happen! Parents can be notifiied immediately of any problems with instant communications systems like CME. We are ready to help school districts implement a secure, reliable system that can give parents peace of mind when school buses are delayed, or other threats or situations require immediate attention. And with winter weather headed our way soon, now is the perfect time to implement a system that makes instant communication easy and affordable.
This happened last winter in Waterbury, Connecticut. According to The Republican-American newspaper, a sudden snow squall in December of 2007 left about 900 city children stranded on school buses, some until 10 p.m. Parents of students, some as young as 3, were unaware of the bus delays because there was no reliable system of notification.
What a nightmare for those parents, as well as those school secretaries and administrators that were no doubt fielding tons of phones calls from worried and upset parents.
The chief operating officer for the Waterbury school district said that this incident “prompted the need for a quicker way to notify parents." Since then, the district has implemented a state-of-the-art emergency notification system.
With the technology available today, there’s no reason for incidents like the one in Waterbury to happen! Parents can be notifiied immediately of any problems with instant communications systems like CME. We are ready to help school districts implement a secure, reliable system that can give parents peace of mind when school buses are delayed, or other threats or situations require immediate attention. And with winter weather headed our way soon, now is the perfect time to implement a system that makes instant communication easy and affordable.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Mark & Michelle Visit Extreme Makeover Home Edition Build Site
As a sponsor of the Extreme Home Makeover Edition, Mark and I were were lucky enough to receive VIP passes to the sponsor tent last evening. The sponsor tent was located directly across the street from the home build and during our visit, we got to see hundreds of volunteers in action. And, yes, Mark even spotted a few stars on site. Ty Pennington and Michael Maloney made brief appearances around 8:30 last evening.
Energy levels were high as hundreds of volunteers lined up, surrounded by ABC filming crews, to unload truckload after truckload of furniture, accessories, and appliances for the home. From toasters, to bamboo trees, armories, chairs, couches, rugs, and mirrors, volunteers eagerly awaited their chance to carry in items to be placed in the home.
While we were not allowed to enter the home, we did get to snap pictures of the outside and boy, was that a site to see. Truly amazing to see what 2,500 volunteers were able to accomplish in just 6 short days.
The show is set to air sometime between December and January so we'll all have to stay turned to see the final outcome. But, I can say this for sure...the well-deserving Gries' family is pretty darn lucky.
Energy levels were high as hundreds of volunteers lined up, surrounded by ABC filming crews, to unload truckload after truckload of furniture, accessories, and appliances for the home. From toasters, to bamboo trees, armories, chairs, couches, rugs, and mirrors, volunteers eagerly awaited their chance to carry in items to be placed in the home.
While we were not allowed to enter the home, we did get to snap pictures of the outside and boy, was that a site to see. Truly amazing to see what 2,500 volunteers were able to accomplish in just 6 short days.
The show is set to air sometime between December and January so we'll all have to stay turned to see the final outcome. But, I can say this for sure...the well-deserving Gries' family is pretty darn lucky.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Establishing Response-Level Emergency Communications
The Department of Homeland Security knows the importance of communication in emergency and disaster situations. Officials learned this first-hand during the attacks on 9-11 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As a result of those lessons, Office of Emergency Communications has defined a National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) that identifies ways in which emergency response personnel at all levels can communicate on demand.
“The NECP enhances governance, planning, technology, training and exercises, and disaster communications capabilities with recommendations and milestones for emergency responders and relevant government officials,” the department said in a press release.
One of those milestones requires 75% of all jurisdictions to have the capability to establish response-level emergency communications within three hours of a significant event by 2013.
The Department defines response-level emergency communication as “the capacity of individuals with primary operational leadership responsibility to manage resources and make timely decisions during a multi-agency incident without technical or procedural communications impediments.”
DHS recognizes that the private sector will be an important resource to support emergency communications and advanced technologies. CME stands ready to accept this challenge! The kind of technology that will help local and rural government entities carry out a communications strategy and reach this readiness state is already available at CME.
We are working hard to help local governments and especially rural response agencies leverage the technology to ensure that communication flows smoothly even in times of confusion and disruption. And while different agencies may use a variety of radio systems and frequencies, most have the ability to receive text messages, voice messages, and e-mails, and have access to a computer to view Web site alerts.
CME is proud to have the ability to serve in this capacity and takes the responsibility seriously. You can depend on us for reliable service and quick implementation.
“The NECP enhances governance, planning, technology, training and exercises, and disaster communications capabilities with recommendations and milestones for emergency responders and relevant government officials,” the department said in a press release.
One of those milestones requires 75% of all jurisdictions to have the capability to establish response-level emergency communications within three hours of a significant event by 2013.
The Department defines response-level emergency communication as “the capacity of individuals with primary operational leadership responsibility to manage resources and make timely decisions during a multi-agency incident without technical or procedural communications impediments.”
DHS recognizes that the private sector will be an important resource to support emergency communications and advanced technologies. CME stands ready to accept this challenge! The kind of technology that will help local and rural government entities carry out a communications strategy and reach this readiness state is already available at CME.
We are working hard to help local governments and especially rural response agencies leverage the technology to ensure that communication flows smoothly even in times of confusion and disruption. And while different agencies may use a variety of radio systems and frequencies, most have the ability to receive text messages, voice messages, and e-mails, and have access to a computer to view Web site alerts.
CME is proud to have the ability to serve in this capacity and takes the responsibility seriously. You can depend on us for reliable service and quick implementation.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
CME Contributes to "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Project
What an exciting opportunity for CME!! "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is coming to Peoria, Illinois, and CME is participating in the massive volunteer effort. We are donating access to our 4-in-1 broadcast communication system so project coordinators can quickly send updates, instructions, requests, etc. to the over 1,000 volunteers that are involved.
If you watch this television show, you know that builders take on the ambitious task of building a brand new home in just 7 days. Volunteers team up with show designers and builders and work around the clock until the project is finished.
In this project, time is of the essence, and CME is THE PERFECT solution to ensure that all 1,000+ volunteers stay informed of the latest news. Our broadcast text messaging capabilities will reach those that are on-site and not near a computer to receive an e-mail. Coordinators can also send messages from the building site by calling our 24/7 concierge service. Information can be sent and received immediately.
We invite you to follow the progress of the project. The surprise "door knock" will happen today, and then a flurry of activity will follow. Visit http://www.designbuilthomesextreme.com/index_n.htm to learn more about the amazing teamwork involved in this effort, and follow the latest news and donate at http://www.extremehomemakeoveril.com/.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Political Communications
If you’ve ever ran for public office, you know just how important it is to get your message out to voters. Political campaign messages need to be timely, factual, and responsive. And they need to permeate the information sources of voters.
When you have the ability to quickly communicate with your supporters and potential constituents, you can stay on top of the fast moving media messages that could define your campaign’s character, the pertinent issues of the day, and even your personal integrity. These are the things that voters will be watching, and you owe it to yourself to be ready to communicate directly with the voters.
With a broadcast communication system at your fingertips, you have the ability to reach out through text message, phone message, and e-mail. You can respond to comments from your opponent, correct misinformation or misunderstandings distributed through the media, and remind your supporters of rallies, public appearances, debates, and volunteer opportunities. You can initiate the conversation and set the agenda for your campaign.
Your campaign will show voters that you are responsive, informed, in touch with the issues, and a technological guru! CME can be the foundation for your communication strategies for your campaign. Contact us to find out how we can help!
And when Election Day finally arrives, that day that you’ve invested so much time and money to get to, you can send out that all important message – “Vote Today!”
When you have the ability to quickly communicate with your supporters and potential constituents, you can stay on top of the fast moving media messages that could define your campaign’s character, the pertinent issues of the day, and even your personal integrity. These are the things that voters will be watching, and you owe it to yourself to be ready to communicate directly with the voters.
With a broadcast communication system at your fingertips, you have the ability to reach out through text message, phone message, and e-mail. You can respond to comments from your opponent, correct misinformation or misunderstandings distributed through the media, and remind your supporters of rallies, public appearances, debates, and volunteer opportunities. You can initiate the conversation and set the agenda for your campaign.
Your campaign will show voters that you are responsive, informed, in touch with the issues, and a technological guru! CME can be the foundation for your communication strategies for your campaign. Contact us to find out how we can help!
And when Election Day finally arrives, that day that you’ve invested so much time and money to get to, you can send out that all important message – “Vote Today!”
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Gathering Your Contacts' Information
Have you ever had to replace your entire contact list in your cell phone or e-mail list? Many of us have become so dependent on the ease of accessing this information, that we no longer bother to physically write down our contacts. We simply store them in our phone or computer and hit a couple of buttons when we want to communicate.
If you have ever lost that information, you know what a pain it can be to replace it – especially if you don’t have an easily accessible phone list or address book to use for reference. You’ll spend hours personally contacting family and friends, looking through business cards, and searching the phone book.
Communications Made Easy has a better, easier solution. Building your contact list with our system can be accomplished in a number of ways with minimal effort. And your list is secure and stored in a reliable place. You won’t lose it.
We can make a sign up form on your alert notification Web site (this comes free as a CME customer) where users can input their contact information and the way they wish to receive notifications. That way, you’re getting the information direct from the source. CME understands that sometimes, your list will include people that you don’t directly know, so need a simple way to help people give you the information you need to stay in touch.
Another option – send out a print mailing advertising the service and include a sign up form that can be filled out and mailed back. The information would then be input by a designated employee.
Once the information has been loaded into your CME account, messages can be sent in 1 or more modalities. For non-critical messages, you may wish to simply send out an e-mail notification. Or, in times of emergency, you may wish to send the message out in 2, 3, or all 4 ways.
All message recipients get an individual account with a unique log in and password so they can set up their communication preferences. This is all done automatically by our propriety software...you won't ever have to set up the account log ins or passwords for each recipient. They simply log in and set up their individual preference of how they would like to receive their communication (via Web, e-mail, text and/or auto dialer) after you have set up the account.
If you plan on sending out non-critical messages mainly by e-mail, we suggest you notify your recipients to enable their accounts to receive the messages sent via e-mail. This way, their e-mail systems won’t view your important messages as SPAM.
If you have ever lost that information, you know what a pain it can be to replace it – especially if you don’t have an easily accessible phone list or address book to use for reference. You’ll spend hours personally contacting family and friends, looking through business cards, and searching the phone book.
Communications Made Easy has a better, easier solution. Building your contact list with our system can be accomplished in a number of ways with minimal effort. And your list is secure and stored in a reliable place. You won’t lose it.
We can make a sign up form on your alert notification Web site (this comes free as a CME customer) where users can input their contact information and the way they wish to receive notifications. That way, you’re getting the information direct from the source. CME understands that sometimes, your list will include people that you don’t directly know, so need a simple way to help people give you the information you need to stay in touch.
Another option – send out a print mailing advertising the service and include a sign up form that can be filled out and mailed back. The information would then be input by a designated employee.
Once the information has been loaded into your CME account, messages can be sent in 1 or more modalities. For non-critical messages, you may wish to simply send out an e-mail notification. Or, in times of emergency, you may wish to send the message out in 2, 3, or all 4 ways.
All message recipients get an individual account with a unique log in and password so they can set up their communication preferences. This is all done automatically by our propriety software...you won't ever have to set up the account log ins or passwords for each recipient. They simply log in and set up their individual preference of how they would like to receive their communication (via Web, e-mail, text and/or auto dialer) after you have set up the account.
If you plan on sending out non-critical messages mainly by e-mail, we suggest you notify your recipients to enable their accounts to receive the messages sent via e-mail. This way, their e-mail systems won’t view your important messages as SPAM.
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