Most companies we work with, have 'designated' crisis management teams. These vary from the insignificant crisis', through to life-threatening crisis'. There is always an assigned emergency services contact, whose job it is in an emergency, to maintain communication with the emergency services.
One of our corporate functions is crisis management - so we have to consider the global repercussions and the ultra-fine detail at the same time. From considering overall redundancy of the phone system, down to the tiny, but significant detail - like "the phone system caused the fire"... Basically, taking the worse case scenario, and making it worse.
At the very least, we always ensure that there is at least one PSTN line that is run through armored trunking to an analogue phone in a fire-proof cabinet. Simply put, a classic Hollywood style "red phone" with one button and a giant red flashing light. (Okay, full keypad and no flashing light, but you get the idea).
The reality is, that 999 or 911 redundancy has nothing to do with the phone system per-say, it's down to the crisis procedures of the company. Think of it this way; what happens if a fire breaks out on a large plant? First, you'd have the staff who found it phoning emergency services. Next, you'll have the security office phoning the emergency services... Next, staff in the nearest office are likely to phone the emergency services, not to mention lorry drivers or forklift drivers on their mobiles!
On top of this, in most places that a crisis would occur, there is little possibility of installing phones - period. Most plants rely on mobiles, walkie-talkie or DECT phones. The number of armored cables I've seen ripped in half, or optical spurs that have been cut by diggers - VoIP and traditional PBX's have no coverage of these areas - forget redundancy!
So at this point, the emergency services have been contact about the crisis three or four times... Possibly three or four addresses, depending on the registration of the phone itself. What if the fire brigade need to know what special equipment to bring? Chemicals to deal with? They'll phone the company, and will probably get a confused receptionist... She's been answering calls all day - she doesn't know there's a fire on a production line on the other side of the plant.
Now, with a crisis plan, the following would happen. In an emergency, the person discovering it would contact the crisis manager, or one of his/her subordinates. If it's a major emergency, then the person discovering this may have had to call the emergency services first. Nonetheless, this is all reported to the crisis manager. The crisis manager does a number of things, one of which is to be the crisis manager. Sound bizarre? Well, no. Their job, is partly to be a central point of communication. Any calls coming in regarding emergencies will be patched directly to this person. In the event of phone system failures or major disasters, then the person will have an emergency phone on which to call out on.
It's actually more dangerous to empower people in an emergency, then it is to reduce the number of people involved, and to tightly control the situation.
If anybody is interested in crisis management, or looking at ways of legally solving this problem, then let me know
Best, Ad.
On 6 Jan 2004, at 6:35 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Message: 7 From: "Jim Flagg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] 911 and lawsuits and redundancy Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 13:06:34 -0500 Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jonathan Moore" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 12:34 PM Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] 911 and lawsuits and redundancy
This is esp true of any VoIP PBX system. In fact I think many of them run Windows.
Or VOIP in general. This is what Vonage makes you agree to in their Terms of Service.
"2.4 Requires Activation:
You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function unless you have successfully activated the 911dialing feature by
following the instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, and until such later date that such activation has been
confirmed to you through a confirming email. You acknowledge and understand that you cannot dial 911 from this line unless and
until you have received a confirming email.
2.5 Failure to Designate the Correct Physical Address When Activating 911 Dialing:
Failure to provide the current and correct physical address and location of your Vonage equipment will result in any 911
communication you may make being routed to the incorrect local emergency service provider.
2.6 Requires Re-Activation if You Change Your Number:
You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function if you change your phone number unless and until you have
successfully activated the 911 dialing feature following the instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, and until such
later date that such activation has been confirmed to you through a confirming email. 911 dialing must be re-activated. Although
you may have activated 911 dialing with your former Vonage phone number, you must separately activate 911 dialing for any new
number.
2.7 Change of Physical Location of Vonage Equipment:
You acknowledge and understand that 911dialing does not function properly or may not function at all if you take your equipment with
you away from the address or physical location that you have designated.
2.8 Requires Re-Activation if You Move:
You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function properly or at all if you move or change the physical location of
your Vonage equipment to a different street address, unless and until you have successfully activated the 911 dialing feature
following the instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, and until such later date that such activation has been
confirmed to you through a confirming email. 911dialing must be re-activated although you may have activated 911 dialing using your
former address, and you must separately activate 911 dialing for any new physical address. Failure to provide the current and
correct physical address and location of your Vonage equipment will result in any 911 dialing you may make being routed to the
incorrect local emergency service provider
2.9 Possibility of Network Congestion and/or Reduced Speed for Routing 911:
Due to the manner in which it is technically possible to provide the 911 dialing feature for Vonage DigitalVoice at this time, you
acknowledge and understand that there is a greater possibility of network congestion and/or reduced speed in the routing of a 911
communication made utilizing your Vonage equipment as compared to traditional 911 dialing over traditional public telephone
networks. You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing from your Vonage equipment will be routed to the general telephone number
for the local emergency service provider, and will not be routed to the 911 dispatcher(s) who are specifically designated to receive
incoming 911 calls at such local provider's facilities when such calls are routed using traditional 911 dialing. You acknowledge
and understand that there may be a greater possibility that the general telephone number for the local emergency service provider
will produce a busy signal or will take longer to answer, as compared to those 911 calls routed to the 911 dispatcher(s) who are
specifically designated to receive incoming 911 calls using traditional 911 dialing.
2.10 Automated Number Identification:
At this time in the technical development of Vonage 911 dialing, it may or may not be possible for the Public Safety Answering Point
(PSAP) and the local emergency personnel to identify your phone number when you dial 911. Vonage's system is configured in most
instances to send the automated number identification information; however, the phone system routes the traffic to the PSAP and the
PSAP itself must be able to receive the information and pass it along properly, and they are not yet always technically capable of
doing so. You acknowledge and understand that PSAP and emergency personnel may or may not be able to identify your phone number in
order to call you back if the call is unable to be completed, is dropped or disconnected, or if you are unable to speak to tell them
your phone number and/or if the Service is not operational for any reason, including without limitation those listed elsewhere in
this Agreement.
2.11 Automated Location Identification:
At this time in the technical development of Vonage 911 Dialing, it is not possible to transmit identification of the address that
you have listed to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and local emergency personnel for your area when you dial 911. You
acknowledge and understand that you will need to state the nature of your emergency promptly and clearly, including your location,
as PSAP personnel will NOT have this information. You acknowledge and understand that PSAP and emergency personnel will not be able
to find your location if the call is unable to be completed, is dropped or disconnected, if you are unable to speak to tell them
your location and/or if the Service is not operational for any reason, including without limitation those listed elsewhere in this
Agreement.
2.12 Alternative 911 Arrangements
You acknowledge that Vonage does not offer primary line or lifeline services. You should always have an alternative means of
accessing traditional E911 services."
_______________________________________________ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
