Your business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR) plan isn’t complete without provisions for emergency communications. During a disaster or major disruption, you’ll have to alert your employees and inform them of the next steps. Cybersecurity threats and the pandemic have made the need for adequate preparation even more urgent. Enter AlertFind, a tool we hope you’ll never have to use. 

But how can you incorporate emergency communications into your BC/DR plan? In this article, we’ll look at two real-world examples from different industries and focus on how they successfully used AlertFind emergency communications in their BC/DR initiatives.

1. GLEN EDEN SUN CLUB

Glen Eden Sun Club is a natural resort and recreational vehicle (RV) park in Temescal Valley, California. This 150-acre haven rests at the foot of the Santa Ana Mountains, with the Cleveland National Forest as its backyard.

WHY GLEN EDEN SUN CLUB NEEDED A MORE ADVANCED ENS

In 2018, record-setting wildfires plagued California year-round and posed an immediate threat to the resort. The Holy Burn Fire, which burned 18,000 acres in July and August, came within a mere 200 feet of one of the resort’s residences, with mud and debris flows threatening to overtake the property.

At the time, the resort was using a manual emergency notification system. In their system, block captains would notify the 300-1,700 residents and visitors in their respective sections. Evidently, this system was slow, and it would take very long to spread the word to residents and visitors. Resort leaders knew they couldn’t provide ample warning for the wildfire fast enough, which was a significant risk to their business. As a result, they set out to find a better ENS replacement. 

HOW GLEN EDEN SUN CLUB IMPROVED EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

After evaluating 10 ENS solutions, the group settled on AlertFind. They had already witnessed AlertFind’s premium capabilities firsthand when they sent out an evacuation order while still training for the tool. AlertFind activated emergency communications in just a few seconds. 

“The very first alert I sent out, I was quite nervous because I only had one training session. But once I was done, I was elated because it was so intuitive,” said Gloria Schoeppe, Chairperson of the Emergency Preparedness Committee. “The ability to communicate within seconds to a massive group of people is phenomenal.”

Today, Glen Eden Sun Club still relies on AlertFind for emergency alerts. The group also realized they could use the alerts for other purposes. Now, they also use AlterFind to send updates about road closures, power updates, resort activities, and other events. 

2. HIGHMARK HEALTH

Highmark Health is an insurance provider based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They also have sites in 7 states across the United States. Highmark Health is connected with Allegheny Health Network, an 8-hospital system in western Pennsylvania and western New York. If disaster strikes, the organization has to notify 40,000 employees spread across 15 sites.

WHY HIGHMARK HEALTH NEEDED A BETTER ENS

The healthcare organization already has a well-established BC/DR plan. However, they still used manual-based phone trees and a segmented ENS for emergency communications. Decision-makers realized they needed a much faster and more comprehensive mass notification system to keep up with their BC/DR plan. 

Trish Taranto, Sr. Business Continuity Analyst in the Enterprise Insurance and Business Resiliency department at Highmark Health, said, “We have employees across the country, so it’s critical to reach them quickly.”

HOW HIGHMARK IMPROVED ITS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

Highmark Health had already tried AlertFind before temporarily shifting to another ENS. Leadership in the business resiliency department decided to switch back. AlertFind instantly gave the organization the extensive reach and speed they badly needed to ensure their BC/DR plan was up to scratch. They could also target specific groups of employees instead of sending alerts to everyone. This was a crucial feature for such a large and expansive company. 

AlertFind hasn’t only benefited Highmark Health. The hospital group was also able to implement the robust emergency communication system during a regional drill for the Southwest Hospital Coalition. In the drill, AlertFind served as the coalition’s mass notification system, sending out alerts to employees as part of the weather-themed training. 

LOOKING FORWARD

To sum up, your business must always be prepared to handle cybersecurity threats and disasters. AlertFind is just the tool you need to help you improve your business continuity and disaster recovery initiatives. This article focused on two companies that have used AlertFind for their emergency communications in BC/DR plans. 

Both these companies would all agree that AlertFind helped them enhance their BC/DR capabilities. If you also want to increase your company’s resiliency, you can get this robust ENS through IgniteTech Unlimited. This Netflix-like subscription service also gives you access to a wide range of software solutions to improve your business communications.  

Looking to enhance your BC/DR plan with the right approach to emergency communications? Book your business continuity strategy call today with our experts.​​​​