Emergency notification system and methods
The present invention is related to systems and methods for identifying and reporting a crisis status. In at least one embodiment, the system comprises a central server; an administrative work station communicably coupled to the central server, wherein the administrative work station is accessible only by an authorized administrator; a database communicably coupled to the central server, the database including a floor plan of the area, wherein the database is accessible and modifiable by the authorized administrator at the administrative work station; and a remote device at a particular location in the area, the remote device communicably coupled to the central server, the remote device capable of communicating securely to the database the particular location of the remote device and the crisis status of the particular location.
1. An emergency notification system for an area, the system comprising:
a central server;
an administrative work station communicably coupled to the central server, wherein the administrative work station is accessible only by an authorized administrator;
a database communicably coupled to the central server, the database including a map navigator of the area, wherein the map navigator includes separate navigations for each of an area level view, a building level view, and a floor level view, and wherein the database is accessible and modifiable by the authorized administrator at the administrative work station; and
a remote device at a particular location in the area, the remote device communicably coupled to the central server, the remote device being accessible only by an authorized user, the remote device further being capable of communicating securely to the database the particular location of the remote device and condition of the particular location;
wherein the map navigator can be used to facilitate communication at each of the area level, the building level, and the floor level.
2. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , wherein the authorized user selects an indicator on the remote device corresponding to the condition of the location, which is communicated to the database and the map navigator is updated in real time to reflect the condition of the location.
3. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , wherein the map navigator is viewable by both the authorized administrator and the authorized user.
4. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , wherein the map navigator displays the condition of the particular location and uses a hierarchy to display condition at each of the floor level view, the building level view, and the area level view.
5. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , further comprising a chat feature enabling at least one of audio, video, or text communication between the authorized administrator and the authorized user.
6. The emergency notification system of claim 5 , wherein the chat feature is accessible via the map navigator and can be selected at each of an area level, a building level, a floor level and a condition level.
7. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , further comprising: a safety device communicably coupled to the central server, wherein a signal may be sent by the central server to the safety device to control the safety device based on the condition of the particular location.
8. The emergency notification system of claim 7 , wherein the safety device is selected from the group consisting of speakers, alarms, cameras, lights, locks, barriers, sensors, fire sprinkler systems, and public address systems.
9. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , wherein the authorized administrator is at least one of an employee, a security officer, or a first responder.
10. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , wherein the remote device is in wireless communication with the central server.
11. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , wherein the remote device comprises a microphone, a camera, and a speaker.
12. The remote device of claim 10 , wherein the remote device is selected from the group consisting of mobile phones, smartphones, and tablet devices.
13. The emergency notification system of claim 1 , wherein the remote device comprises a touchscreen.
14. An emergency notification system for a school, the system comprising:
a central server;
a database communicably coupled to the central server, the database including a map navigator of the area, wherein the map navigator includes separate navigations for each of a campus level view, a building level view, a floor level view, and a room level view, and wherein the database is accessible and modifiable by an authorized administrator; and
a remote device at a particular location in the area, the remote device communicably coupled to the central server, the remote device being usable to communicate securely to the database the particular location of the remote device and a condition of the particular location;
wherein the map navigator can be used to facilitate communication at each of the area level, the building level, the floor level, and a condition level by selecting the level and initiating a communication.
15. The emergency notification system of claim 14 , wherein communication at a level is started by the authorized administrator and can be converted to individual communication in responses by an authorized user.