The 3n Emergency Notification System Provides Peace of Mind to Parents of Children in School or Daycare Facilities When Emergency Situations Occur

February 18, 2004--http://www.3nonline.com - National Notification Network's (3n) proprietary automated emergency notification technology is providing parents with the number one thing parents say they want from their child's school during an emergency or disaster – communication. With 3n, schools and daycare facilities can inform parents of situations such as major snowstorms and natural disasters, illnesses, bomb threats, and other emergency situations that may cause school closings or require emergency responders…in minutes.

In emergency situations-when seconds matter-schools and daycare facilities need a fast and reliable means of communicating with parents. 3n, an Application Service Provider (ASP), meets this need by dramatically reducing the traditionally long and labor-intensive task of notifying large numbers of people into a simple, reliable and easy to execute process. The 3n Emergency Notification System is a proprietary telephony and data communications platform delivered on a subscription basis, offering unparalleled accessibility, reliability, security and scalability in a simple and cost effective manner.

Whether in an emergency or non-emergency situation, 3n subscribers can access the fully hosted ASP-based system and initiate notification simply by making one toll-free call from any landline or cell phone, or by logging on to 3ns' secure web site. The system then disseminates critical messages (predefined or created on-the-fly) simultaneously and continuously to thousands of target recipients within minutes, running through their prioritized contact paths for all voice and text devices until delivery is made. The sender's process is complete upon receipt of real-time confirmation of message delivery.

Benefits of ‘One Call – Reaches All' Emergency Notification Technology from 3n include:
* Parental Notification – Relays vital communications related to severe weather alerts, school closures, sick children, etc.
* Emergency Responders – Contacts emergency response teams and public safety organizations (e.g. police, fire, EMT, Hazmat, etc.)
* Campus Evacuation – Notifies specific floors, buildings or entire campuses when major disasters hit
* Truancy Monitoring – Tracks and gets timely feedback on absent or truant students
* Substitute Staffing – Mobilizes substitute teachers to meet demand; reschedule or cancel shifts
* PTA Communications – Delivers meeting announcements, newsletter, bulletins, fundraiser and other event information
* Team Updates – Communicates game times, practice reschedules and cancellations, etc.
* Remote Polling – Obtains valuable parent input with active feedback feature (e.g. Press 1 if you support Initiative A; Press 2 if you oppose)

The facts are chilling. During the past decade, more than 300 school-associated deaths have occurred on or near school campuses in the U.S. The Columbine High School tragedy, the events of 9/11, bomb threats, and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires and major snowstorms all illustrate the fact that emergencies can strike without warning.

As a result, schools are becoming increasingly aware of the risk of being affected by a major crisis, and of the need to plan for such an event. But emergency preparedness and disaster recovery planning is more than having an evacuation plan and a lockdown procedure. "The ability to notify parents, contact emergency responders, and mobilize teachers and staff in a quick, efficient and reliable manner can save lives, prevent injury, and minimize property damage," notes Patrick Stuver, Vice President of Technology for 3n. "Clear communication is the key to successful crisis response."

Yet despite the fact that the "No Child Left Behind" amendments to the federal Title I program contain extensive provisions for parental involvement, and that many daycare parents evaluate facilities based on their crisis communications plans, most schools' emergency response procedures do not include effective parental notification. Administrators admit parents are most likely to learn of an emergency at their child's school from radio or television news media, or from other parents, than from the school itself. At best, schools and daycares rely on antiquated telephone trees, which are notoriously unreliable and time-consuming.

With the ability to notify one, ten, or thousands of people within minutes on multiple voice and text devices, 3n provides a better way. Parents gain the peace of mind that comes from the knowledge that if a crisis does occur, the adults who have been charged with the care of their children can contact them at a moments notice.

3n's Emergency Notification System enables schools and daycare facilities with ‘One call – reaches all' technology, and provides them with the ability to contact every parent and staff member via multiple voice & text devices in a quick, efficient and reliable manner. 3n's Emergency Notification System gives schools the power of rapid communication, and the freedom to concentrate on the critical business at hand-ensuring the safety and education of our nation's children.

For information about 3n visit: http://www.3nonline.com




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