What is an Emergency Mass Notification System?
The best resource to provide credible information on the recommended components of a Mass notification system can be found in the United States Department of Defense Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC), UFC 4-021-01, published in December, 2002 and still in effect today. These published criteria, following the 9-11 tragedy, provides in pertinent part: “Mass notification is the capability to provide real-time information to all building occupants or personnel in the immediate vicinity of a building during emergency situations. To reduce the risk of mass casualties, there must be a timely means to notify building occupants of threats and what should be done in response to those threats. Pre-recorded and live voice emergency messages are required by this UFC to provide this capability”. It is clear from the criteria contained in DOD, UFC 4-021-01 that an appropriate and capable Mass Notification System must have the capability to instantly broadcast voice instructions that will appraise peo
