Emergency Messaging with Digital Signage

Clear and expedient communication is never more important than in times of emergency. Getting news to people and warning them of coming catastrophe can help save lives and prevent an emergency situation turning into a disaster.

Digital signage is by far one of the most effective ways of informing people about emergency situations due to several reasons. Firstly, information on outdoor digital signage displays can be uploaded in real time, instantly. This means in times of emergency, there is no delay in getting information displayed, and even in locations spread over a wide area, a networked system can display the information on each screen as soon as it is uploaded.

Another great benefit in emergency situations is its ability to communicate with everybody on site. Other forms of emergency messaging: Tannoys, radio announcements, noticeboards and email, all have a major drawback. Noticeboards and emails require somebody to log on or visit the board, while radio announcements need the recipient to be listening in, as do tannoys.

With digital signage, the emergency message can be relayed on all screens so anybody passing or in the vicinity will be made aware of the situation.

Weather Alerts

A common form of emergency broadcast digital signage is often tasked with is warning of freak weather occurrences. Tornados, hurricanes and cyclones are a problem in many locations, causing damage to property and loss of life. However, once warned people have a far better chance of surviving and protecting their property. Digital signage can relay any extreme weather warning for anybody passing the vicinity of the screen to see. Whole neighbourhoods can be warned as emergency content c an be uploaded to signs, which normally play more commercial content.

Disaster Warnings

The recent Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, followed by the problems at the nuclear reactors, underling the precarious nature of many our towns and cities when it comes to Mother Nature.

Tornado Warning on Digital Signage

As digital signage doesn’t require people to be tuning in to a radio or TV channel, it can forewarn people in the exact areas likely to be hit, relaying tsunami warnings along coastal town where vulnerable people have a chance to get to higher ground.

Around Campus

Emergency messaging around universities became an apparent need in 2007, following a shooting at Virginia Polytechnic in Virginia state. The incident involved a gunman who remained on campus for some time, and people arriving to campus later walked straight into the incident as their were no campus warning system. With digital signage, emergency messages could be relayed all around campus as soon as any reports of an incident came in.