San Jose, Calif.-based ScreenBeam Inc., a provider of wireless display and collaboration solutions, released ScreenBeam Alert. Integrated into the Central Management System Enterprise (CMS-E), this new feature allows CMS Administrators to pre-emptively interrupt presentations, teaching sessions, conferences and digital signage with important and time-sensitive notifications.
According to the company, ScreenBeam Alert complements organizational emergency response Programs. It does so by layering in an additional notification capability leveraging ScreenBeam receiver enabled displays. The Alert is thus secured meaning only the CMS-E Administrator has access to send and stop urgent notifications.
“Schools and Institutions are looking to improve the effectiveness of their Emergency Response Programs,” reports Mike Ehlenberger, VP of ScreenBeam. “Immediately grabbing the attention of someone in a space with a highly visible notification and instruction, using ScreenBeam-enabled displays, adds additional layers of credible communication over current systems such as alarms, flashing lights, and intercoms.”
Site-wide, Site-Specific, and Group-Specific Notifications
ScreenBeam Alert is also dependent on installation architecture. What’s more, it can select the entire network, specific sites and groups. Thus, it ensures that the audience is relevant to the situation. Some such situations may include:
- Severe Weather Alert
- Building Security Threats, including Active Shooter
- Fire Alarm or other urgent facility issue
Pre-emptive Notification
ScreenBeam Alert notifications interrupt any current usage of the receiver, displaying a full red screen and the notification. The CMS-E administrator must reset the receivers either manually or by a timed reset.
Also Read: The Behavioral Science Behind Mass Notification
Flexible Messaging
Clear text field messaging allows the CMS-E Administrator to follow any prescribed script or notification that is scenario dependent. Notifications can indicate situations like a fire drill or a campus or building security scenario.
The administrator can also use multiple alerts for highly complex situations for real-time awareness. For example, ISD Security was notified of a tornado warning near a specific school building. The CMS-E Administrator can isolate that building in the CMS-E tools and send a message that reads, “Tornado Warning. Seek Shelter Immediately.” Once the warning has passed, the Admin can simply clear the alert. Alternatively, they can send an “All Clear. Return to Classroom,” with a timer to clear and restore the receiver functionality, without involving school facilities outside the potential danger zone.
