introduction to the everbridge notification system

Department of Homeland Security

Introduction to theEverbridge Notification

SystemFor the Fifth Northern Region

January 31, 2012


EverbridgeThe USCG Auxiliary has chosen

Everbridge as it’s rapid notification service for both emergency and non-emergency communications.

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Everbridge• Everbridge is the leading provider of Emergency

Notification Systems (ENS).

• Everbridge is used by many schools, fire departments, and federal, state and local government agencies, including the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

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Everbridge• Everbridge is a tool to allow Auxiliary

leadership to rapidly and easily reach members for both routine and emergency communications.

• We can use it for:• Standard notices (meetings, reminders, etc.)• Emergency notices regarding major incidents• Personnel Accountability after major incidents

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The Challenges• To easily send important messages to

either all or selected groups of 5NR Auxiliarists.

• To quickly send emergency messages to ALL 5NR Auxiliarists.

• To account for and deploy members in the aftermath of major incidents.

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Why Everbridge?• Previously, the Auxiliary’s emergency

communications were hindered by time-consuming, manual one-by-one calling trees.

• Our diverse membership required an additional method of reaching Auxiliarists in emergency situations.

• Individual preferences must be recognized and accommodated.

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The SolutionBy choosing Everbridge, the

Auxiliary can use its technical capabilities, security, ease of use, flexibility and cost to great advantage.

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The Results• Faster notification

– The system can make contacts at a rate of about 100,000 per hour.– In optimum conditions, we can contact all 5NR Auxiliarists in about 90

seconds.

• Better accountability– Everbridge records each contact, whether successful or not.– Members can be prompted to confirm receipt, or respond to questions.

• Better messaging– The most effective messaging isn’t created in the midst of an

emergency.– Messages can be planned and pre-recorded for use during incidents.

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Message Types• Most common.• Simply delivers the message.• With or without confirmation.Regular

• Delivers message and asks for feedback.Polling• Message requests participation.• After sufficient confirmations, the system

automatically informs others that the quota has been reached.

QuotaJanuary 31, 2012

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How Everbridge Affects YOUThis mass notification system:• Notifies you in the event of an emergency in the

5NR, or• Provides you with important, non-emergency

notices from your District, Division or Flotilla.This is important in order to ensure that the Auxiliary can contact you in an emergency, as well as receive feedback from you regarding your safety, your status and your ability to respond if called upon by the Coast Guard.

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Contact Methods and Contact Information

Let’s define:• Your contact methods can be via email and/or

telephone.• Your contact information is your actual email

address or phone numbers.

Your contact methods are chosen in Everbridge.Your contact information is updated in AUXDATA.

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Contact Methods and Contact Information

You can limit the contact information Everbridge gets from AUXDATA, but you can’t change it or add to it in Everbridge.

Currently, our contact methods are:• Email• Home Phone• Cell Phone Which methods are the most effective?

January 31, 2012

15%50%35%

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Choosing Contact Methods• You have the option of choosing your contact

methods, their priority and whether or not to receive emergency and/or non-emergency messages.• Simply have your Flotilla Commander arrange to

make any changes for you.

• Or, you may decide to accept the defaults and make no changes at all.

• Its your choice.

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• You can change the order, or delete any contact method in Everbridge.

• Homes with more than one Auxiliarist may wish to opt out of Everbridge for all contact methods for the duplicate member(s). This will limit unnecessary, redundant contacts.

• If your business number is answered by a machine, or an attendant who might not know who the message is for, you may wish to have that contact method deleted.

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Removing Contact Methods


I have Caller-IDIf you have Caller ID on you phone, you may see:

555-555-5555On the display.

That way you’ll know its from the 5NR.

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Things to RememberWhen receiving an Everbridge phone message,

always wait until the voice says “Goodbye”.

Confirming receipt (if prompted) will halt further contact attempts.

You can override your Contact Paths (or even choose not to be contacted at all.)

Your FC can handle Everbridge changes for you.

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Important

January 31, 2012

If we can’t contact you, we can’t alert you as to the emergency.

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Frequently Asked Questions

For the 5NR Everbridge System

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FAQCan Divisions use Everbridge in the 5NR?• Future incidents may affect certain areas of the 5NR, but not

others. A particular Division’s ability to use the system may be critical in that event.

• Beginning in 2012, the 5NR Everbridge system will fall under the Communication Services (CS) program in the 5NR.

• While the Division Groups will still be under the direction of the DCDR, your Division’s SO-CS will soon be trained in the operation of the Everbridge system.

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FAQWhat are some of the concerns with

Everbridge?• Bad phone numbers in AUXDATA may go to the public.

• Review your profile information in AUXDATA.

• Multiple voice mails may be left.• Multiple emails, too.

• But they usually aren’t a big problem.

• The electronic voice may be difficult to understand.• Only your confirmation will stop the system before it’s normal

conclusion.

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FAQWhy does Everbridge use multiple phone calls and emails? Isn’t one enough?

• Everbridge won’t give up trying to contact you until you either confirm receipt or it reaches the chosen number of “cycles”.

• We determine the number of cycles, depending on the importance of the communication.

• Each cycle consists of one of each contact method (home, cell, email)

• Standard notices might consist of just one cycle.

• Emergency and critical communications may consist of up to six cycles, usually spaced about an hour apart.

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FAQWhy six cycles for emergency

communications?Shouldn’t it stop when I get the first call?• The system will stop all subsequent contacts as soon as you

“confirm” receipt of the message.

• You can confirm via a live phone call or email.

• You cannot confirmed via Voice Mail message.

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FAQWhat are my options?• You can choose to use Everbridge as it’s set up.

– The great majority of Auxiliarists do.

• You can limit contact methods as you see fit.

• You can limit all contact methods (in other words, withdraw from the Everbridge system entirely.)

It’s up to you.

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FAQWhat if I choose to withdraw from Everbridge?• You can choose any or all contact methods.• If you choose to block all contact methods, you will not be

contacted by the Everbridge system.• Those who cannot be contacted by Everbridge may have to be

contacted personally via an Auxiliary officer, depending upon the situation at the time.

• In an “Accountability” exercise or incident, you will have to be contacted personally.

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FAQWhy I may NOT want calls to my HOME

phone:

• I have a child or an invalid parent who might be distressed by the phone calls.

• My voice mailbox has a limited capacity, and may become overloaded and unavailable for other important voicemail messages.

• I have a rotary phone.

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FAQWhy I may not want calls to my CELL

phone:• I don’t want it to ring while I’m in a meeting.

• I don’t want it to ring while I’m driving.

• I can’t tell who is calling, so I don’t know who to call back.

• Remember, we use 555-555-5555 as Caller ID. You can then contact your Flotilla Commander for information.

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FAQWhy I may not want phone calls at all:

• Our electronic voice may be difficult to understand, especially for those who are hearing impaired.

• We may choose to leave recorded voice messages in the near future.

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FAQWhy should I choose to remain in the

system?• You will be able to receive notices in the event of an emergency.

• This system is critical in when we are tasked with accounting for all 5NR members in the event of a Personnel Accountability exercise or drill. No automated contact means that an Auxiliary officer must contact you personally each time.

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FAQWhat is a Personnel Accountability

exercise?• The 5th Coast Guard District (Active Duty, Reserves, civilians and Auxiliary) conducts

Personnel Accountability exercises immediately following major incidents, such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, and significant earthquakes.

• We can expect a couple Personnel Accountability exercises each year, to keep us ready to participate when a major incident occurs.

• During these drills, we are expected to communicate to 100% of our members, to determine their readiness and safety.

• Those who cannot be contacted via Everbridge will be contacted personally, unless they have previously contacted their flotilla leadership.

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FAQWhat if we have multiple family members in

the Auxiliary?• You might choose to limit your combined contacts to a single

home phone, email and/or cell phone.• The problem for that is:

• In an accountability exercise, you’ll be able to confirm one member’s contact, but there will still be another to confirmed via a call to/from your Flotilla Commander.

• Since we won’t know which was confirmed, we’ll have to personally contact all members with that contact information, resulting in duplication of effort.

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FAQWhat if I’m confused or have questions?

• For Everbridge questions, ask your flotilla’s Communications Services Officer (FSO-CS), who will use the CS chain to resolve any issues you may have.

• For contact information updates, see your flotilla’s Information Services Officer (FSO-IS) for changes to AUXDATA.

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The End

January 31, 201234

introduction to the everbridge notification system

Documents

emergency messages

emergency situations

nonemergency notices

nonemergency communications

contact informationlets

nr auxiliarists

important messages

auxiliary leadership