Scalable Emergency Notification Systems

[u/Electrical-Cut9281]

My company is currently exploring options for an emergency notification system that can be scaled across multiple campuses. Additionally, it is essential that the system integrates seamlessly with our existing access control, video surveillance, and fire alarm platforms.

Can anyone provide information on the systems available that meet these criteria? We would also appreciate insight into the advantages and disadvantages of each option to help us make an informed decision.

[u/MonkeyBrains09]

It will be impossible to recommend anything that can integrate seamlessly with your existing systems if you do not even share what you have.

Yeah, you named technologies but not the actual vendors/systems in use. Each one has different features can integrate with different products which can rule some out.

Off the top of my head you could check if each of your systems supports API or web hook access. From there you can build a central connector and then connect to a alert management system so when product A triggers and alert, it can send it over to the alert management system. Then each system does not have to work with everything at once, it just needs to work with the central connector. And then when systems are replaced, the new system just needs to work with the central connector instead of trying to figure out how to make it work with all other existing products. From there you can add other systems as well. Like post messages on a website banner or digital display, tap into building lighting and flash lights etc.

But why does the notification system need integration with everything? What workflow are you trying to achieve? I get the fire control systems because some products have built in alerting workflows but not the video systems since they tend to be passive. What alerts are you expecting that needs to be communicated outside of each product? What security level/vetting does the new product need? Like are you okay with something running in the cloud or do you need something on-prem that you can control access to? Can the data your working with be shared with a third party or does it have to be internal only?

And lastly, what is the expect budget upfront and ongoing budget? Building a central connector may have server hardware costs and recurring IT upkeep/development costs. Some systems may not work well for the intended goal so they might need replacement or upgrades which all factor into costs

I know this is a lot which is why its generally easier and cheaper to pay someone to sit at a computer to monitor each system and triage alert delivery. And that is the crux, you are trying to automate this entire position. its not going to be a clean or smooth path. There will be bumps along the way but its possible if goals and expectations are properly set and if all else fails, mgmt can throw labor hours at the problem to do things the old fashioned way until job duties can be automated and replace the labor hours.