School emergency alert recommendations

[jmak]

Had anyone tried Microsoft Teams Emergency Operations Center? https://adoption.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/app-templates/emergency-operations-center/

[enjay]

It is worth mentioning that NetSupport Notify will integrate with TeamSOS too.

 

Indeed it does, and with the latest teamSOS mobile app, you can send NetSupport Notify messages from your phone.

[PotNoodleTech]

Indeed it does, and with the latest teamSOS mobile app, you can send NetSupport Notify messages from your phone.

 

Sounds like I need to look into Team SOS as I already have notify (ideally I was looking to replace notify tbh)

[enjay]

Sounds like I need to look into Team SOS as I already have notify (ideally I was looking to replace notify tbh)

 

We ditched Notify because it takes too long to send emergency messages, but bought it again because of the TeamSOS integration.

[PotNoodleTech]

We ditched Notify because it takes too long to send emergency messages, but bought it again because of the TeamSOS integration.

 

I guess my question is if TeamSOS can send messages etc out why do we still need notify given it's a a bit of a clunky hard to use not 100% reliable that's seen no real development in the last 2 years - I want to dump it for something better.

[enjay]

I guess my question is if TeamSOS can send messages etc out why do we still need notify given it's a a bit of a clunky hard to use not 100% reliable that's seen no real development in the last 2 years - I want to dump it for something better.

 

TeamSOS sends messages to the Windows notification system, so staff would only get a little pop-up by the clock for a few seconds saying "lockdown - get under your desks", then have to click on the icon to see the message. With Notify, you get the whole-screen takeover. You can then use TeamSOS to coordinate the lockdown, send updates, communicate with staff, etc. Notify is clunky to use, but you don't interact with it at all - you just tick a box in the TeamSOS app saying you want to send a Notify message, and it does the rest.

[PotNoodleTech]

TeamSOS sends messages to the Windows notification system, so staff would only get a little pop-up by the clock for a few seconds saying "lockdown - get under your desks", then have to click on the icon to see the message. With Notify, you get the whole-screen takeover. You can then use TeamSOS to coordinate the lockdown, send updates, communicate with staff, etc. Notify is clunky to use, but you don't interact with it at all - you just tick a box in the TeamSOS app saying you want to send a Notify message, and it does the rest.

 

Ok I see.

 

The thing I hate about Notify is you cant manually "stop" the message when the lockdown is over. We've had the message disappear when it's reached the end of the available timer window, and people thought the lockdown was over as the message disappeared.

 

Simple little things that I am sure they could change easily don't seem to be being improved.

[GrumbleDook]

Ok I see.

 

The thing I hate about Notify is you cant manually "stop" the message when the lockdown is over. We've had the message disappear when it's reached the end of the available timer window, and people thought the lockdown was over as the message disappeared.

 

Simple little things that I am sure they could change easily don't seem to be being improved.

 

I'll share that feedback (if you haven't already) and see what the team says.

[PotNoodleTech]

I'll share that feedback (if you haven't already) and see what the team says.

 

is that your product then my Dook friend?

 

If so I've got plenty of feedback lol.

 

Main things we needed were.

 

Ability to fully control the lockdown from my admin console particularly whether the lockdown is still active and when the lockdown ends - send the lockdown out - full screen etc - then keep it full screen for as long as necessary. When the lockdown is over, click the "end lockdown" button which will then cancel the message on all the PCs.

 

Ability to create an easy to access bank of "messages" of all types for later use and make it like a 1 or 2 click so that you can just select the lockdown message for knife attack - click send. right now it takes ages of piddling around navigating the interface. it could easily be made much slicker.

 

Ability to commuinicate with Gate systems e.g. Paxton Ne2 - we have actual big red lockdown buttons on that that lock the doors and gates and secure the school - when they big red button is presses I want netsupoort to send a lockdown message out.

 

Sadly I have suggested these to netsupport over the last 2 years and no action has ben taken other than "we will pass it on as a feature request".

 

Your missing a trick here - you really could completely corner the school lockdown market with a simple easy to use product based on an upgraded notify program.

[GrumbleDook]

Some good suggestions in there. I know there are some things that have been looked at, but drop me a DM, and I'll see what's up.

[enjay]

TeamSOS can do a lot of that, so I suggest you book a demo or phone call with them, as there's a lot of personalisation and workflows which you can customise.

[synaesthesia]

A somewhat odd post from a "dormant" company with no recorded assets, a wix hosted template website and little to no actual history?

[AgLockdown]

 

Hi Synaesthia

What you are describing is actually a “new to market company” that has been developing this product behind the scenes as a spin off with two major college groups and several schools since 2023 , first accounts for the launched company are due soon and this will reflect the level of investment.

I would be delighted to discuss what we are doing if it actually is of interest to you. Re Wix, yes fair comment, the website is also purposely vague as we take hostile reconnaissance very seriously.

 

We have a rapidly growing number of clients particularly in FE. Whilst we very much soft sell, we currently have a conversion rate in excess of 90% so we must be doing something right.

 

If you are ever in Lincolnshire, I would love to give you (or anyone in education) a tour of our in house 24/7 Emergency Response Centre.

Cheers

 

Tony

[synaesthesia]

Apologies if that came across a bit blunt - I am naturally cynical and skeptical about just about everything these days (an age thing perhaps!). With ever-dwindling budgets, it would appear difficult to justify spending what I imagine would be a decent amount of money to do something that *should* (acknowledging schools and their occupants are fickle beasts at the best of times) be doable by any school internally with minimal effort, a decent disaster recovery and business continuity plan and communication.

Whilst vagueness can be good in security, there's also the saying about "security by obscurity is no security at all" - that's another red flag for me at least. There's a reason that the most secure systems on the planet are open source.

[Rob_D]

I feel like I'm missing something here, but it feels like your solution targets the (IMO quite small) intersection of "crisis" stiuation serious enough to require site lockdown, but with enough time to have a confrence call and discuss the situation.

How would your solution deal with, for example, the "help a crazy person with a shotgun is trying to break in" situation where there isn't time to have a confrence call and you need to just the school put in immidate lockdown? (The kind of thing we'd do now with a panic button)

[enjay]

I agree with @Rob_D - this is a solution to a different crisis. @AgLockdown is offering a solution to a long-term site closure such as fire, flood, utility outage, etc not an on-site emergency such as an angry or armed intruder, or an environmental issue such as a fire in a nearby building releasing fumes.

[AgLockdown]

Hi Guys

The moderator has taken my post down, really genuinely sorry everyone i wasnt aware that you cant promote products. All good points made above but we have even better answers! If you would like to know more  **************.