EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM UPDATE

1
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMUPDATE
Mark Katsouros, The University of
Iowa mark-katsouros_at_uiowa.edu
2
The Spectrum of Solutions

• Sirens/Loudspeakers
• Voice/Phone (Especially Cell Phones)
• Voice Mail Broadcast v
• Text Messaging (SMS)
• E-mail (Mass Mail) v
• Web
• RSS Feeds
• Pop-ups
• Video/CATV (e.g., UITV)E
• Instant Messaging
• AM/FM Radio
• Fire Panel Alarms with Voice Enunciation
• Public Address Systems (Including
  Mobile/Portable)
• Digital Signage (Including Changeable Message
  Signs on Roads)
• Two-Way Radio
• Emergency-/Weather-Band Radio
• Social NetworkingE
• Word of Mouth (More Help in an Emergency
  Situation than One Might Realize)

3
How a Few of the Vendors Seem to Stack up(Based
on Individual Research/Trials)

• Sigma Communications Reverse911 (Hybrid)
• GIS Mapping
• Extra/Contingent Calling Capacity via Hosted Part
  (Per-Call-Minute Pricing Model)
• Single Point of Failure
• Alcatel-Lucents Automated Message Delivery
  System (Hybrid)
• IP and NTSC Video Support (Local Only)
• Digital Signage Support (Local Only)
• SIP/Presence Support (Local Only)
• Potential Calling Capacity Issues (if Local)
• Xtends Emergency Campus Notification (Local)
• NTSC Video Support
• Digital Signage and 2-way Radio Support
• Potential Calling Capacity Issues
• The NTI Groups Connect-ED (Hosted) v
• Excellent Calling Capacity (and Unlimited-Calls
  Pricing Model)
• True SMS Support
• Web Access
• GIS Mapping

4
Current Trial at The U. of Iowa Connect-ED

• Quickly Brought into Production
• Data Imports from Enterprise Directory, so Same
  Self-Service Portals Facilitate Maintained
  Contact Info
• Microcosm of Multi-Pronged Concept (Voice,
  E-mail, and SMS Support, with More Apparently
  Coming)
• Unlimited calls model naturally supports
  continued testing and system familiarity.
• Unlimited groups further add to flexibility of
  system.

5
Current Trial at The U. of Iowa Connect-ED
(contd.)

• GIS Mapping
• This function allows us to contact only those
  within a specific geographical area (within some
  distance of a single point/address, or within a
  parallelogram that we define). The following
  example illustrates a 1/8-mile radius from my
  home address

6
Current Trial at The U. of Iowa Connect-ED
(contd.)

• In the interest of time, UI went with this
  solution immediately (1st year). Goal was to be
  in full production by start of Fall 07 semester,
  which was achieved. Likely utilizing an RFP at
  FYs end.
• Policies/Procedures were developed/ratified,
  which took much effort. This planning is
  obviously critical.
• Whos authorized to declare an emergency and
  initiate a mass emergency notification?
• What should the notification say?
  (Pre-established message templates for the
  different kinds of emergencies are a must, both
  for speed and to ensure that the right message is
  conveyed.)
• Who technically has (or should have) the
  capability/know-how to actually launch a message?
• Whats reported back, on the success of the
  notification, and to whom?

7
Current Trial at The U. of Iowa Connect-ED
(contd.)

• Branded service as
• EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

8
Current Trial at The U. of Iowa Connect-ED
(contd.)

• Phased Approach
• Phase 1 Relies on voice communication
  endpoints, particularly mobile phones add-on
  database maintained manually (9/1/07)
• Phase 2 Adds additional, diverse communication
  endpoints, particularly text messaging via SMS
  (12/13/07)
• Phase 3 Adds automation of the data exchange
  and back-end processes (3/1/08)
• Phase 4 Mostly wish list items at this point,
  such as opt-in groups and non-medium-specific
  communication preferences (4/1/08)

9
Current Trial at The U. of Iowa Connect-ED
(contd. CSV import file columns)

• ReferenceCode
• FirstName
• LastName
• Status
• Language
• Gender
• Group (8)
• ContactType
• HomePhone
• WorkPhone
• MobilePhone
• HomePhoneAlt
• WorkPhoneAlt
• MobilePhoneAlt

• PrimaryPhone
• SMSPhone
• TTYPhone
• AdditionalPhone
• ParentNames
• HomeAddress
• HomeCity
• HomeState
• HomeZip
• EmailAddress
• EmailAddressAlt
• Terminate
• Institution
• Any others (internal use)

10
Policies/Procedures

• Whos authorized to declare an emergency and
  initiate a mass emergency notification?
• Per UIs Critical Incident Management Plan (CIMP
  Section IV)
• University President
• Vice President for Student Affairs
• Director of Public Safety
• Public Safety Shift Commanders will be designees
  of the Director of Public Safety, and there
  obviously may be other designees as well, but the
  list of authorized users will need to be kept
  reasonably short/manageable.

11
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• What should the notification say?
• Per UIs CIMP (Section VIII) The Presidents
  Office has authorized the following Alert message
  __________. Please relay this information to
  affected individuals in your department or work
  area.
• We filled in the blank in advance (i.e.,
  established emergency-specific templates).

12
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates
• Active Shooter
• In our police chiefs voice
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• DELIVERY_DATE, time An active shooter is
  reported to be at/in location(s). Please take
  safe cover immediately, and as far away from
  location(s) as possible. Call 9 1 1 from a
  safe location to report shooter sighting. See W
  W W dot U Iowa dot E D U for further details as
  available.
• SMS script
• Active shooter at/in location(s). Take safe
  cover immediately, as far away from
  location(s) as possible. See www.uiowa.edu.

13
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates (contd.)
• Bomb Threat
• In our police chiefs voice
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• DELIVERY_DATE, time A bomb threat has been
  reported for location(s). If you identify
  anything suspicious, please do not approach, but
  evacuate immediately and call 9 1 1. See W W W
  dot U Iowa dot E D U for further details as
  available.
• SMS script
• Bomb threat at location(s). If you see
  anything suspicious, don't approach, but evacuate
  at once call 911. See www.uiowa.edu.

14
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates (contd.)
• Hazmat
• In our police chiefs voice
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• DELIVERY_DATE, time A(n) hazmat incident
  is reported to be at/in location. Immediately
  evacuate and avoid location and other
  affected location(s). See W W W dot U Iowa dot
  E D U for further details as available.
• SMS script
• hazmat incident at/in location. Evacuate at
  once avoid location other affected
  location(s). See www.uiowa.edu.

15
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates (contd.)
• Natural Disaster
• In our police chiefs voice
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• DELIVERY_DATE, time A(n) natural disaster
  condition is reported to be occurring at
  location(s) and threatening other
  location(s). Avoid location(s) or, if
  anywhere near these areas, take safe cover
  immediately. (For earthquakes) If indoors,
  take cover under a sturdy desk or other
  furniture. If outdoors, get into the open, away
  from buildings and power lines. If driving, stop
  where safe and in the open, and stay in car.
  (For flash floods) If outdoors, get to higher
  ground immediately. If driving, dont attempt to
  drive through flooded roadways. See W W W dot U
  Iowa dot E D U for further details as available.
• SMS script
• natural disaster condition at location(s)
  threatening other loc(s). Avoid loc(s) or
  take cover. See www.uiowa.edu.

16
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates (contd.)
• Severe Weather
• In our police chiefs voice
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• DELIVERY_DATE, time A(n) severe weather
  threat is reported to be in location and
  heading in the direction of 2nd location.
  Avoid location(s) or, if anywhere near these
  areas, take safe cover immediately. See W W W
  dot U Iowa dot E D U for further details as
  available.
• SMS script
• severe weather threat in location heading
  towards 2nd location. Avoid location(s) or
  take cover. See www.uiowa.edu.

17
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates (contd.)
• Terrorist Attack
• In our police chiefs voice
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• DELIVERY_DATE, time A(n) terrorist
  threat is reported to be at/in location(s).
  Please take safe cover immediately, and as far
  away from location(s) as possible. Call 9 1 1
  from a safe location to report suspicious
  activity W W W dot U Iowa dot E D U for further
  details as available.
• SMS script
• terrorist threat at/in location(s). Take
  safe cover at once, as far away from
  location(s) as possible. See www.uiowa.edu.

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Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates (contd.)
• Tornado Warning
• In our police chiefs voice
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• DELIVERY_DATE, time The National Weather
  Service has issued a tornado warning for
  location(s) until expiration time. Details,
  if available and relevant. If you are caught
  outside, seek shelter in a nearby reinforced
  building. As a last resort, seek shelter in a
  culvert, ditch or low spot and cover your head
  with your hands. The safest place to be during a
  tornado is in a basement. Get under a workbench
  or other piece of sturdy furniture. If no
  basement is available, seek shelter on the lowest
  floor of the building in an interior hallway or
  room such as a closet. Use blankets or pillows
  to cover your body and always stay away from
  windows. If in mobile homes or vehicles,
  evacuate them and get inside a substantial
  shelter. If no shelter is available, lie flat in
  the nearest ditch or other low spot and cover
  your head with your hands.
• SMS script
• Tornado warning for location(s) until exp.
  time. Seek sturdy shelter immediately, in a
  basement if possible.

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Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Templates (contd.)
• Cancellation of Classes
• Text-to-speech enunciated
• Hawk Alert, DELIVERY_DATE, time The
  University of Iowa has cancelled all qualifier,
  e.g., afternoon and evening classes for date.
  Exceptions, if any. See the U I homepage for
  more details.
• SMS script
• UI has cancelled qual., e.g., afternoon
  evening classes for date, except for
  exception(s). See UI home page for details.

20
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Note that SMS (text) messages have a maximum size
  of just 130 characters (including spaces), so the
  following abbreviations/deletions are recommended
  for the aforementioned templates if/when
  utilizing SMS
• Delete EMERGENCY HAWK ALERT prefix.
• Leave out definite and indefinite articles
  (the, a, and an).
• Abbreviate has been / is reported to be
  occurring in/at to just reported in/at.
• Abbreviate immediately to immed.
• Abbreviate evacuate to evac.
• Abbreviate location to loc.
• Abbreviate through to thru.
• Abbreviate See WWW.UIOWA.EDU for further details
  as available. to WWW.UIOWA.EDU for details.
• Consider using standard chat abbreviations if
  necessary (4 vs. for, 2 vs. to, B vs.
  be, R vs. are, U vs. you, and so on).

21
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Who technically has (and/or should have) the
  capability/know-how to actually launch a message?
• UIs CIMP (Section VIII) identifies Information
  Technology Services (the central IT
  organization), but does not reference specific
  contacts. (Weve approved/established a specific
  list.)
• We also provide access to (and training on) the
  Hawk Alert System to Public Safety, University
  Relations, and others, such as Student Affairs,
  Health Protection Office, etc).

22
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Whats reported back on the success of the
  notification, and to whom?
• Pilot samples (with minimal numbers) follow

23
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Per notification

24
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Per month (including account overview)

25
Policies/Procedures (contd.)

• Proposed report recipients
• University President
• The Critical Incident Management Team as defined
  by the CIMP (Section VI)
• VP for Student Services Dean of Students
• Assistant VP Director of Public Safety
• University General Counsel
• Executive VP and Provost
• Director of University Relations
• Associate VP of Finance and Operations Director
  Human Resources
• University Business Manager
• Senior VP and Treasurer
• Director of Risk Management
• VP for Research
• Associate VP Director of Facilities Management
• Senior VP University Treasurer
• Assistant VP University CIO
• Expanded as needed to include
• Director of University Counseling Service
• Assistant Director of Human Resources

26
(Other) Lessons Learned

• A solid communication plan (about your ENS) is
  critical.
• Communicating the Need for Faculty, Staff, and
  Students to Provide/Update Their Contact Data
• Advertising that Need (and a Link) on Your Course
  Management System, Existing Portal(s), Other
  University Websites, etc. (Ensure that you're
  notified in case of an emergency on campus with
  Hawk Alert.)
• Announcing the Test (and Test Feedback Survey)
• Communicating with the Mass Media (Beware of
  sensationalism.)
• Preparing Your Help Desk

27
Website
28
FAQ

• What is the Hawk Alert System?
• How does Hawk Alert work?
• How do I sign up to receive Hawk Alerts?
• How do I utilize the system if Im visually- or
  hearing-impaired?
• Is there a fee for the Hawk Alert System?
• What phone number will I see on my Caller ID when
  I receive a Hawk Alert? I want to program that
  number into my phone.
• How does a member of the University community
  enter contact information so that it can be
  available for use in emergencies?
• When entering data for use by the Hawk Alert
  System, may I include contact information for a
  spouse or significant other, or parent(s), so
  that theyll be alerted during emergencies?
• For what types of emergencies will I be notified
  via this system?
• What types of Hawk Alerts (in terms of media) are
  available?
• What is the time frame in which I should expect
  to receive a Hawk Alert?
• How can the Hawk Alert System reach thousands of
  people in just minutes?
• Who is responsible for declaring an emergency and
  sending out a Hawk Alert?
• Will this site (http//hawkalert.uiowa.edu)
  contain information about the emergency?

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FAQ (contd.)

• If I input my mobile phone number, will it be
  published (i.e., viewable when someone searches
  for me in the directory via http//www.uiowa.edu/h
  omepage/directories, the Herd Book, or the
  University white pages)?
• What should I do if I use my mobile phone as my
  home phone (i.e., I dont have a landline at
  home)?
• Will the Hawk Alert vendor share UIs information
  with anyone?
• What if I want to get text messages instead of,
  or in addition to, a voice call?
• Does the system support numeric pagers?
• My contact information is up to date, per these
  instructions. Can I test my ability to be
  notified to make sure the system will work for
  me?
• Other members of the University community
  received emergency (or test) Hawk Alert messages,
  but I did not. What should I do?
• I work at the hospital on campus and no one here
  received a recent Hawk Alert. What happened?
• What action should I take if I do receive a Hawk
  Alert?
• Should I attend classes if there is an extreme
  weather condition?
• I recently graduated or left the University,
  and/or no longer wish to receive Hawk Alerts. How
  can I ensure that I wont be notified?
• Are University affiliates included in the Hawk
  Alert System?
• How are duplicate phone numbers handled?
• Who can I contact with additional questions?

30
New Portal
31
Campus-Wide Test

• On Friday, October 5, 2007, at 900am, UI
  initiated the following notification to every
  home, work, and mobile number we had in the
  targeted population set
• This is UI Police Chief Chuck Green. Please
  listen to this important Hawk Alert.
• DELIVERY_DATE, 9 o'clock A M Hello,
  FIRST_NAME. This is only a test. If this were
  an actual emergency, you'd be receiving official
  information, news, or instructions. The Hawk
  Alert System serves SCHOOL_NAME students,
  faculty, and staff. Your feedback is important.
  Please go to Hawk Alert dot U Iowa dot E D U to
  report when you received this test message. This
  concludes our test of the Hawk Alert System.

32
Campus-Wide Test (contd.)

• The system also sent the following e-mail
  notification to the Routing e-mail addresses of
  the same population set
• Hawk Alert System TEST, DELIVERY_DATE, time
  Hello, FIRST_NAME. This is only a test. If
  this were an actual emergency, you'd be receiving
  official information, news, or instructions. The
  Hawk Alert System serves SCHOOL_NAME students,
  faculty, and staff. This concludes our test of
  the Hawk Alert System.

33
Campus-Wide Test (contd.)

• General Points Made with the Campus
• The test did exactly what a test should do It
  provided data and valuable user feedback.
• We contacted more people in a shorter amount of
  time than ever before, which is the goal of the
  emergency notification system.
• We received a lot of feedback from the UI
  community, which is very helpful.
• Students, faculty, and staff need to make sure
  their contact information is up-to-date via the
  portal(s) we cant reach people with outdated or
  incorrect contact info.

34
Campus-Wide Test (contd.)

• More General Points Made with the Campus
• Make sure that people in your household are aware
  of the system and how it works, in case theyre
  at home when a Hawk Alert comes through on your
  home phone (this is particularly important for
  students who are using a parents/guardians home
  phone number).
• Hawk Alert is one tool in a multi-faceted
  approach to emergency notification. Other means
  available to us are the siren towers, website
  postings, media coverage and word-of-mouth.
• The importance of word-of-mouth should not be
  discounted. If you receive a Hawk Alert in an
  emergency situation, tell everyone you come in
  contact with!
• If youve provided your cell phone number,
  program in the Hawk Alert number 319-384-0911
  so you know that youre receiving a Hawk Alert
  and you dont ignore it.

35
Campus-Wide Test (contd.)

• Data from NTI (vendor)
• 100 of the e-mails were sent within 6 minutes of
  the specified send date.
• The voice calls were comprised of two categories
  throttled and non-throttled.
• There were 57,573 phones called.  Of those 44,239
  (77) were successfully delivered (live answer or
  answering machine) during the first attempts.
• The non-throttled were 48,726 (85 of the total)
  phones of which 42,592 (87) were successfully
  delivered.
• All first attempts were completed within 24
  minutes of the send time.
• On the non-throttled the average first attempt
  time took 18 minutes.
• NTI is pretty certain that 18 minutes can get
  well below 15 minutes and probably closer to 10
  minutes.

36
Campus-Wide Test (contd.)

• Our Feedback Data

37
Campus-Wide Test (contd.)

• Problems We Discovered
• Duplicate calls occurred due to the FIRST_NAME
  tag being inserted into the message which causes
  the system to remove duplicates based on
  Firstname and Phonenumber rather than just
  Phonenumber.
• Voice mail port availability/behavior will need
  to be considered when defining the on-campus
  throttle points.
• Parents who werent aware of the system or the
  test or neither contacted us because they
  didnt know why they were receiving a call some
  of these people were quite upset.
• We may need to make what we mean by Residing
  phone number clearer (local vs. permanent).
• We may need to consider communicating future
  tests to parents.
• E-mail While the e-mail message was sent out
  within six minutes, it took much longer for the
  messages to be delivered were investigating how
  we might optimize this.

38
Social Networking (experimental)
39
Social Networking (experimental contd.)
40
Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)

• Data inter-exchange standard for alerting and
  event notification (flexible format)
• Provision for text, video, audio
• Multi-lingual and multi-audience
• Digital encryption and signature
• Geographic targeting
• May 31, 2007 - FCC Order requires National
  Emergency Alert System (EAS) participants to
  accept messages using CAP. A Further Notice
  seeks comment on whether Participants should be
  required to deliver EAS alerts originated by
  local, county, tribal, or other state
  governmental entities.
• http//www.incident.com/cookbook

41
Additional Resources

• ACUTA is compiling a collection/summary of its
  members plans, to be posted on the ACUTA website
  (http//www.acuta.org).
• Archives of CIO_at_LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU
  (http//listserv.educause.edu/archives/cio.html)
• EDUCAUSE Business Continuity Management
  Constituent Group (http//www.educause.edu/12480)
• EDUCAUSE Business Continuity Planning Resource
  Page (http//www.educause.edu/Browse/645?PARENT_ID
  142)
• Internet2 Disaster Planning and Recovery Group
  (http//security.internet2.edu/dr)
• Joe St Sauvers Mass Real Time Emergency
  Notification Slides from I2 (http//www.uoregon.e
  du/joe/notification)
• Lengthy Study Conducted in Florida
  (http//ec.creol.ucf.edu/FinalReport_EmergComm.pdf
  )

42
Additional Resources (contd.)

• SUMMARY-Emergency Notification Systems.xls from
  EDUCAUSE CIO Archive (http//listserv.educause.edu
  /cgi-bin/wa.exe?A3ind0610LCIOP1881333E2B-
  -------------070607060106030807070506NSUMMARY-Em
  ergencyNotificationSystems.xlsTapplication2Fv
  nd.ms-excel)
• University of Iowa, Critical Incident Management
  Plan (http//www.uiowa.edu/pubsfty/cimp.pdf)
• A more verbose (if you can imagine) version of
  this presentation given during the last Net_at_EDU
  CCWG Meeting at EDUCAUSE 2007 (http//www.educause
  .edu/ir/library/pdf/EDU07335c.pdf).
• (New) EDUCAUSE Emergency Notification Systems
  Wiki (http//connect.educause.edu/wiki/EmergencyN
  otificationSystems)