An emergency alert system is only effective when employees understand it and notifications reach the right people. Regular testing helps organizations identify outdated contact information, communication gaps and equipment issues before a real emergency occurs.

How often should testing take place? The answer depends on your organization’s size, risk level and emergency procedures. As a general guideline, organizations should consider:

• Monthly checks of contact lists and alert groups
• Quarterly tests of SMS, email, mobile, desktop and paging notifications
• Annual full-scale emergency drills involving employees and response teams
• Additional testing after system updates, staffing changes or location changes

Genesis Incident Aware helps organizations schedule drills, distribute targeted notifications and deliver alerts through multiple channels. Messages can be sent by push notification, SMS, email and paging to selected departments, locations or groups.

Organizations can also use customized checklists and instructions to guide employees through drills and emergency procedures. Following each test, administrators should review delivery, participation and response activity to identify areas for improvement.

Routine testing helps ensure your employees recognize emergency alerts, understand what actions to take and receive critical information when it matters most.

Contact Genesis Systems to learn how Incident Aware can help strengthen your organization’s emergency communication and preparedness.