This month, CI+SSI presents our inaugural Mass Notification Deep Dive, an expansive look at a category that seems to be continuously gaining attention among both manufacturers and integrators.
“Mass notification,” however, remains a bit of a nebulous term. To wit, how is mass notification distinct from emergency communications, public address and other adjacent areas?
In this Deep Dive report, we seek to disambiguate mass notification and home in on how AV integrators and security integrators can seize emerging opportunities across key verticals like healthcare, education, corporate and more.
To inform our understanding of mass notification, CI+SSI casts a wide net, gathering a group of five subject matter experts whose credentials in the category are unrivaled.
Our interviewees include Adam Winterton, global technology center (GTC) manager, Stone Security; Scott Lord, life safety solutions consultant, Electronic Contracting Company, and co-chairman of the PASSK12.org Technical Committee; Jim Crumbley, president/CEO, Risk Response Team, a fellow co-chairman of the PASSK12.org Technical Committee; Jason Thomas, executive director of system architecture and engineering, Risk Response Team; and Michael Cast, regional sales manager, Online Marketing, a manufacturer’s rep firm.
Moreover, our editors undertook an industrywide survey, asking integrators to reflect on their own involvement in mass notification and opine on the types of systems that their clients use, the decision-makers they interact with, the challenges they face and their typical testing/maintenance protocol. We share graphical breakouts of our survey findings throughout this Deep Dive report.
What is ‘Mass Notification’?
Let’s start by clarifying what we mean when we use the term “mass notification.” According to Winterton, “Mass notification refers to a system designed to disseminate critical information quickly and efficiently to a large group of people during emergencies or other time-sensitive situations through multiple methods of communication.”
Those communication methods typically encompass auditory, visual, digital and mobile platforms, he adds, and can integrate technologies like SMS alerts, emails, digital signage displays, PA announcements, light/siren/strobe alerts and mobile apps.
This clearly differentiates mass notification from PA systems, whose function typically centers on routine announcements and localized audio messages. “A PA system may be a part of a mass notification system,” Winterton explains, “but not vice versa.”
Confusion also arises as regards what kind of scale is requisite to merit the term “mass notification.” Must the multi-modal messaging be sent to hundreds of people…thousands…tens of thousands? Risk Response Team uses a bespoke term, “strategic notification,” to serve as a point of comparison. “Strategic notification is about what information needs to be to whom,” Thomas says.
As an example, he offers information meant for students, versus information meant for teachers, versus information meant for safety and security personnel during a campus emergency.
“Mass notification is typically the same thing to everybody,” he adds.
Crumbley, adds that smaller-scale environments (e.g., intimate church campuses) also rely more on “strategic notification.” (For example, suppose a worship community of hundreds needs to receive important emergency messaging about their children having been evacuated from the children’s ministry.)
Lord aligns with this vision, saying that true mass notification should really be thought of as a wide-area notification, such as with tornado sirens, emergency announcements on public radio and the like.
“We’re measuring that in people we’re trying to get in miles, rather than a restricted area,” he says.
Is Mass Notification Right for Your Business?
Next, we ask our SMEs whether AV integrators and security integrators should look at mass notification (or “strategic notification,” as it were) as a ripe opportunity to serve clients, safeguard community members and earn profits.
Cast expresses enthusiasm about the overall market opportunity.
“I think the AV community that I work with on a day-to-day basis absolutely has the talent on staff to be able to take this on,” he says.
This dovetails with the views Lord expresses. He says, “From what I see across the industry, it’s a huge opportunity, I think, for integrators. But there’s not a lot of them taking advantage of it.”
The main culprit, he feels, is integrators simply being unaware of how the systems that they utilize every day can be integrated into a multi-modal notification network.
“Every projector you put in…every digital sign you put in…it’s all something that can be used for mass notification,” Lord declares. “We’re just not taking advantage of it.”
He notes that highly security-conscious K-12 schools, in particular, likely already have significant infrastructure in place to support notification systems for their buildings.
From Crumbley’s point of view, smaller scale “strategic notification” of this kind would likely be easier for the average integrator to dive into, as opposed to aspiring to notify their local municipality that a tornado is coming.
“It’s a definitive skill set being able to know to deploy [those kinds of solutions], the pros and cons of a deployment, the pros and cons of specific solutions, the cost of those solutions, etc.,” he says.
And that’s not even to mention all the relevant guidelines, standards and regulatory requirements that integrators must develop a thorough understanding of before working in mass notification.
“Governing bodies impacting mass notification system designs include NFPA, OSHA, FEMA, ADA, ICC, UL, FCC, the U.S. Department of Education, NIST, and state or local building codes,” Winterton advises.
Therefore, comprehensive, large-scale systems with complex integrations, such as fire systems and FEMA’s IPAWS, likely will not fall into the typical integrator’s wheelhouse.
Strategic Consultation
CI+SSI, as well as our frequent collaborators at NSCA, emphasizes that the antidote to Amazon-ification/commoditization lies in selling strategic consultation and outcome assurance, rather than selling technologies and systems.
Mass notification and “strategic notification” are ideal avenues to tighten client relationships by leading with consultation.
“There’s a great opportunity [when you level up your notification expertise] because you can become that technical advisor,” Lord says. “It’s no longer just the difference between a Panasonic projector and a Barco projector. It’s truly working on an overall goal to help keep people safe.”
He adds, “[When you’re] able to do that, it becomes more of a consultative approach, and you’re not comparing your widget to somebody else’s widget.”
Crumbley agrees, arguing that the typical integrator is well positioned to introduce the concept of mass notification to their client base — even if they can’t execute every component of a prospective system.
“I think it’s more of a consultative sales approach, where you’re actually sending people in the right direction,” he explains.
That is, integrators can seek to “coach up” their customers on key needs relating to urgent alerts and emergency communications. And the value to the client is even more unmistakable if those integrators have cultivated partnerships with companies boasting existing core competency in mass notification.
That’s not to overlook the potential for integrators to upskill themselves and “own” their clients’ notification needs. The rewards they can reap from doing so are profound.
“Mass notification touches so much more [than siloed system installs],” Lord says. “It takes it to a whole new level,” including commanding higher margins on every project.
Naturally, though, even uninitiated integrators understand the complexity and risks involved, as well as the imperative only to engage with this work at levels aligning with proven core competencies.
But Winterton brings us back to partnerships, saying that, if integrators choose not to forge alliances with mass notification specialists, they can instead find complementary integrators with whom to partner.
“One approach would be for a security integrator to partner with an AV integrator in order to provide a holistic, end-to-end solution,” he suggests.
Vertical Markets of Interest
Winterton makes the case that the “need for mass notification systems could span nearly every vertical” in which integrators operate. However, during our interview, he highlights several key verticals in which mass notification systems seem most critical. Foremost among them are education, healthcare, government and transportation.
Turning first to education, it’s a tragic reality that today’s students face a frightening threat landscape that demands better security practices in buildings and across campuses.
“With everything we see in the news, everyone is sort of focused on K-12,” Lord affirms.
According to Winterton, “Mass notification systems are a key part of the overall security system and serve to address active shooter scenarios, weather emergencies or other threats, ensuring swift and consistent communication across campus, through multiple channels, to first responders, students, staff and parents.”
Integrators considering taking on this work for their education clients should familiarize themselves with the existing regulatory framework (e.g., Clery Act and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements) to ensure mass notification systems adhere to prevailing standards.
Healthcare facilities pose unique challenges vis-à-vis mass notification, given the high stress levels and emotional vulnerability of those in hospitals, the presence of hazardous materials, and the need to maintain safety and continuity of care for patients.
Those challenges “[require] clear communication and instructions for next steps,” Winterton states. “[Healthcare mass notification] systems must integrate seamlessly with other critical infrastructure like fire alarms, nurse call systems and digital signage, while addressing the need for accessibility and multilingual communication.”
He mentions that the need to target tailored messaging to specific user groups (e.g., security staff, visitors, medical staff) is particularly acute for healthcare notification systems.
The stakes don’t get any higher than government, municipality and military installations, which depend on mass notification systems to respond to security threats, release public safety announcements and handle high-stakes scenarios of all kinds.
“These verticals face numerous challenges,” Winterton says, “ranging from natural disasters, to bomb threats, to terrorist activities, to missing persons.”
Secure and redundant communication channels are critical here to avoid potentially catastrophic disruptions and to enable effective coordination in a crisis.
“Adherence to NFPA and FCC regulations, along with integration with FEMA’s IPAWS, is often necessary in these environments,” Winterton adds, a fact that underscores the extensive experience that this vertical demands.
Transportation hubs, including airports, train stations and seaports, heavily rely on mass notification systems for emergency management and disseminating everyday communications.
“From evacuations, to terrorist threats, to weather-related incidents, these systems ensure passengers and staff receive clear, timely information across diverse channels,” Winterton states. “Accessibility and integration with PA systems or other public facing systems, including push notifications to apps, are key priorities in these settings.”
This illustrates the breadth of the opportunity in mass notification and “strategic notification,” if integrators set their minds to seizing it. And, although the average integrator might not work with the military or their local airport every day, Winterton notes that “integrators already operating in environments such as schools, churches and hospitals might find natural opportunities to expand into mass notification.”
The Technologies Underpinning Mass Notification
We’ve noted the building blocks of mass notification, as well as “strategic notification,” already exist on most client sites. After all, integrators install PA systems, security cameras and related technologies every day. According to Lord, the initial focus should really be on identifying a communication platform to underpin the burgeoning mass notification system.
“How are we getting that information out to the masses?” he asks rhetorically. Once the communications core is in place, he continues, the next step is “taking that holistic approach of [leveraging] the other technology systems that we have in our building and potentially being able to use those.”
As a companion to his vertical market overview, Winterton shares a rundown of the core technologies that add the most value to mass notification systems that serve widely diverse community members — everyone from Gen Z and Gen Alpha youth, who intuitively consume alerts via social media platforms, to those in the low-vision community, whom auditory messaging can best serve.
The highlighted technologies include installed loudspeakers, intercom systems, digital signage, mobile notifications and IP-based systems.
Installed loudspeakers, encompassing anything from a traditional PA system to a more modern, IP-based PA system, top his list.
“It is essential for delivering clear, immediate audio alerts across large areas or event targeted zones,” Winterton explains.
Thomas agrees, saying integrating your PA system into your mass notification setup is the single highest priority. “It’s going to get the most bang for the buck, especially if they already have a system there,” he avers.
Intercom systems are also high up on the list.
“[They] play a role on both sides of a mass notification event as both a source of the event — in the form of emergency call boxes on a campus — as well as a notification destination,” Winterton states. Moreover, they provide two-way communication to people in the area.
Digital signage is another key component of the multi-modal communications delivery network. Digital signs can not only provide ordinary visual messaging and wayfinding in crowded or noisy environments but also disseminate specific messaging or instructions relevant to an acute and immediate threat.
With today’s technology, it’s even possible for digital signs to map out an emergency exit route from the signage’s exact location.
“Digital signage is also critical for serving certain ADA groups,” Winterton observes.
Mobile notifications (e.g., SMS messages, push alerts) can either deliver immediate, personal outreach to individuals regardless of their location or be targeted to a geofenced area.
“Push alerts can also be configured to allow feedback or status updates [from] recipients or the environment around them,” Winterton elaborates, “providing useful information to crisis responders.”
Crumbley sounds a note of caution, however, about anything that is app-based — especially if the app requires proactive user engagement. He muses on the common struggle of navigating your Apple Wallet while at the checkout kiosk and then rhetorically asks what would happen in a crisis situation.
“In an emergency, people [will] struggle finding that app,” he warns.
Thomas touts the benefits of text messages and email as spokes of the mass notification wheel, saying these outreach methods enable emergency communications to be done cheaply and prolifically.
What’s more, as Winterton explains, “Certain mass notification platforms are capable of using mobile devices to create mesh networks in the event local network systems are offline, thus allowing the dissemination of information to continue.”
More broadly, Winterton praises IP-based systems for their ability to “enable seamless integration across multiple platforms and locations, allowing for near-endless possibilities in expanding notification channels or event trigger inputs.”
He shares examples including (1) an integration into an access control system to trigger a facility lockdown in one scenario or to initiate a complete facility open in a different scenario, and (2) an integration to a VMS that allows images or video to be sent as part of the messaging and/or to feed valuable information back to first responders as they gather information about a crisis.
Integration Is Fundamental
Systems integration is a foundational concept for both AV and security professionals. In the AV world, integrators routinely tie together conferencing platforms, flat-screen displays, video bars, ceiling array microphones and other components to create truly unified room systems.
In the world of emergency communications, organizing disparate components into cohesive, coherent mass notification systems is essential. Cast lays out the ideal scenario, saying, “You get any pull station that’s pulled, and the right people are going to be alerted in multiple ways.”
For example, a pre-recorded message goes across every handheld device; every public monitor displays a message; and all background traffic on installed speakers is muted so that either a live or pre-recorded message is heard.
“And guess what it’s all going to happen from?” he asks. “One button being pushed on somebody’s graphical user interface. Now that is powerful.”
Our SMEs have unfortunately seen too many mass notification systems that do not achieve this level of frictionless functionality.
“We have run into systems that are quasi-working systems,” Thomas concedes. “But yet, they didn’t take the extra three or four steps to really tie all of it together.”
Crumbley says that even if a single pane of glass is not achievable, clients certainly shouldn’t have to interact with multiple different platforms to deploy mass notification alerts.
“Unfortunately, it is very difficult to stop [dangerous emergency situations like active shooters],” he laments. “So, we have to factor in our responsiveness because time saves lives in serious security situations.”
Winterton readily concedes that robust integration of mass notification systems requires more upfront investment. However, for integrator and client alike, the long-term efficiency and reliability benefits far outweigh the costs.
“A fully integrated system ensures all components work together seamlessly, providing centralized control, consistent messaging and faster response times,” he says. “A disparate system may result in some users receiving alerts while other groups are missed, potentially endangering lives. Just as dangerous would be communicating the wrong information to the wrong groups.”
On that point, Winterton underlines the importance of features that safeguard against accidental or unauthorized messages by requiring specific workflows or approvals.
“[That’s] something that would be nearly impossible with disparate systems,” he declares.
The Decision-Maker
Because mass notification applies to virtually every vertical market — and because, when deployed, these communications reach large groups of people across teams and departments — it’s not easy to identify the decision-maker for mass notification system deployment. According to Lord, when integrators begin to dialogue with clients about mass notification, they “have really got to develop a team.”
Elaborating on that, he says, “Facilities is part of it. IT is part of it. Administration has to be part of it. When we talk about mass notification, it affects everyone.”
Winterton agrees, saying that, when implementing mass notification systems, it’s simply part of the process to identify all the key players (e.g., security, administration, legal, purchasing) and the role they play.
“While this introduces complexity in the implementation process, it often lessens the cost hurdle due to the different operating budgets each of these groups brings to the table,” he observes.
A few of our SMEs highlight IT departments’ centrality to the process, with Cast saying it’s difficult to find a device today that doesn’t have a network interface. “So,” he adds, “IT has to be involved.”
Crumbley agrees, saying that, for integrators, the mission is twofold.
“You have to get your primary contact a little excited about it,” he says, “but you have to be making inroads into IT.”
That, he says, is because when security directors are thinking about implementing, refining or expanding a mass notification system, they’re not typically going to immediately call an integrator; rather, they’re going to call IT first. That makes the IT department perhaps the most influential voice in the mass notification conversation.
Overcoming Challenges with Mass Notification Systems
Although mass notification, or alternatively “strategic notification,” systems present appealing opportunities for integrators — namely, higher margins, tighter client relationships and the opportunity to touch more pieces of the client’s existing tech estate — it’s also an area that presents challenges. Those hurdles are not limited to navigating the learning curve for NFPA and FCC regulations, either. We turn to some of those challenges now.
According to Winterton, two difficult but essential tasks are (1) gathering all the necessary information for requested functions, features, communication channels and integrated systems, and (2) tailoring the system to unique facility layouts, use cases and potential notification events.
Crumbley amplifies this, saying “Integrators have to be willing to whiteboard their notification plan.” By that, he means listing out everything: When this incident happens, who needs to be notified? Which devices need to be notified? He says the integrator is thus creating a package for the client.
Cast builds on the idea of close client consultation, using the analogy of someone buying a car, agreeing they want all the bells and whistles, and then immediately reverting to the base model once they see the price tag.
“We could all do a little bit better on helping owners make the right decisions by asking the right questions upfront,” he argues. After all, although the integrator might be a mass notification subject matter expert, the client likely isn’t. “[Integrators] have to guide them through this process,” Cast avers.
Part of that guidance is simply articulating the criticality of mass notification systems. As Lord puts it, “There’s a lot of reactionary things that are happening that customers are spending their money on, trying to do the preventative measures.” However, because, in all likelihood, some emergency eventually will happen, he advances a compelling proposition: “The communication side really is the most important.”
Testing and Support
When responding to CI+SSI’s question about challenges related to mass notification, a few of our SMEs spontaneously brought up the importance of maintenance and ongoing support — and the disastrous outcomes that can occur in their absence.
As Crumbley says, “If [mass notification systems are] not maintained, they’re not going to be tested. If they’re not tested, they’re not going to be maintained. Both of them go hand-in-hand, and testing is part of the maintenance.”
According to Lord, “[Too many people] just look at the fact that, ‘Well, we communicate every day. We’ve got a paging system. We’ve got this; we’ve got that. So, we’ve got it handled, right?’ Until the emergency happens.”
And, at that point, it might be too late. That’s one of the reasons that Winterton says a support contract should be part of the solution — not only to ensure proper functionality but also so that mass notification systems can evolve over time to meet dynamic needs.
Winterton explains that it’s best practice to test mass notification systems monthly to verify functionality with integrated platforms. Moreover, it’s wise to conduct a full-scale system test annually at a minimum. However, testing frequency can vary depending on vertical market considerations. For instance, Winterton says that higher-education organizations should perform full-scale tests once a semester.
“Given that student populations rotate on a semesterly basis, a once-per-semester testing schedule gives each student familiarity with the mass notification system,” he explains. “So, when an incident does occur, the process is not foreign to them.”
Thomas makes an underappreciated but vital point: When testing or drilling, organizations must be upfront about a drill being just a drill. “There’s too much stuff that happens in the world these days,” he laments, saying that any attempt to make an emergency seem “real” would be dangerously misguided.
Recurring Revenue
Variability seems to be a recurring theme with mass notification — variation according to vertical market, widely varying decision-makers, etc. The same also holds true with regard to RMR deriving from these systems.
“There are some systems that I have my hands in every single day,” Thomas attests. “We’re updating that spreadsheet; we’re updating the information; we’re helping them set up a drill or a test of some sort.”
Conversely, other clients just want initial training and nothing more. “[The latter are] not very successful, typically,” he adds, “because you need someone managing the system.”
For integrator/client pairs truly aligned on a long-term strategic partnership, the RMR potential is considerable.
According to Winterton, “Possible recurring revenue streams include software subscriptions, cloud service subscriptions, system maintenance, support contracts, system testing, updates and servicing, upgrades and expansions to add new features or integrations, and training services.”
But he cautions integrators not to chase heedlessly after this RMR.
“Due to the potential life-ending consequences should a system failure occur, integrators should only enter this market once fully prepared and equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and personnel to allow them to be successful,” Winterton advises.
Liability likewise arises during CI+SSI’s interview with Lord, who says that, with the U.S. currently attuned to measurably improving security, clients may be of a mind to spread risk.
“Having a third party taking some of that liability is also something that is attractive to customers,” he says. Naturally, to echo Winterton’s point, integrators must be sure they’re adequately prepared to deliver on their mandate in emergency and life-threatening situations.
In Conclusion
If you haven’t already pondered whether and how to incorporate mass notification into your integration company’s offering, now is the time. Industry-leading vendors including AtlasIED, Axis Communications, Biamp, Bogen Communications and DoorBird are already making substantial investments in building out their product line to meet market needs.
Meanwhile, your clients across verticals are thinking about not just preventative measures but also effective reactive response.
As Crumbley puts it, “We’re going to need to be able to talk holistically about how to notify as many people as possible of a serious incident — or the threat of an incident — as quickly as possible. That’s going to need to happen as we look toward developing response protocols in addition to our prevention protocols that we have in place.”
Winterton agrees, saying that, every day, mass notification systems are becoming increasingly necessary. “They are vital lifelines for safeguarding lives and ensuring effective emergency response,” he concludes. “As risks and threats evolve, these systems must also be able to adapt.” And so, too, must integrators who aspire to be an indispensable, irreplaceable resource for their clients.
