NEW YORK, NY --[Emergency Notification News] -- October 24, 2007. Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE:R), a global leader in transportation and supply chain management solutions, has selected the Send Word Now™ Alert service for its 28,000 global employees. Ryder will use Send Word Now to effectively communicate with its employees when severe weather or unforeseen circumstances arise, and to streamline and expedite everyday business decisions to ensure business continuity with its customers.
Commenting on the service, Ryder’s EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer Greg Greene said, “The safety and well-being of our employees is our number one priority at Ryder, so it’s important to us to be able to contact employees and their families when severe weather conditions or crises arise. Send Word Now complements our Emergency Management Plan and helps us better prepare for and respond to emergencies. Send Word Now utilizes multiple communication channels, including e-mail, cell phone, and office voice mail, and has proven to be effective in reaching our employees who are in the field."
Send Word Now CEO Tom Shoemaker added, “We are seeing a trend in which large organizations, like Ryder, are implementing Send Word Now’s alerting and response services across the entire organization to reach every person involved with that organization. Forward thinking companies, like Ryder, have envisioned, and are starting to reap the rewards of, both emergency and every day two-way communication with all employees.”
About Ryder
Ryder provides leading-edge transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Ryder’s stock (NYSE: R) is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Ryder ranks 362nd on the Fortune 500 and 1,458th on the Forbes Global 2000.
Ryder selects Send Word Now alert and response communication service
University of Delaware Emergency Notification Test Results Reported
As reported in delawareonline.com Oct.11, 2007, the campus-notification system SendWordNow, was tested at the University Of Delaware. What follows are details from the article.
Location:
University of Delaware
System:
SendWordNow
Test Date and Time: Oct. 10th, 2007, 10:00 am
Message Sent:
"This is a test of the UD Alert system. This is only a test. There is no real emergency."
Methods/Qty of Notifications:
Email: 27,000
Mobile: SMS: 10,000
Notifications Received*:
Email: Not Reported
Mobile: SMS: 33% Responded
System Cost:"More than $50,000 anually."
System Capacity:
"...send messages to 60,000 contacts, enough to cover both full- and part-time students and staffers."
Delawareonline.com reported:
"UD sent out e-mail messages to most of the campus community because students and staff receive school-issued accounts -- providing a cell phone number for text messages is voluntary. Test e-mails included instructions for users to provide a number for text messages."
Public Safety Director James Flatley said, "more than 98 percent of the text messages and more than 96 percent of e-mails were sent successfully during the test, judging by the low number of messages that "bounced back" from invalid e-mail accounts or phone numbers."
*No post-test survey was completed.
Source: delawareonline.com
Send Word Now and BNET Partner to Deliver Emergency Notification for Corporate Emergency Access System Members
System Members Successfully Notified During Manhattan Steam Pipe Explosion Emergency
LAS VEGAS --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- September 24, 2007 - Send Word Now, a provider of on-demand alerting and response services, has announced a partnership with Business Network of Emergency Resources Inc. (BNET) a to integrate BNET’s CEAS with Send Word Now’s real-time mobile alerts via text and voice messages on cell phones, BlackBerry and Treo devices.
Created by BNET, the Corporation Emergency Access System (CEAS) uses a “critical employee access card” system to mitigate the economic loss incurred through unforeseen emergencies such as the recent steam pipe explosion in Manhattan, which resulted in travel and access restrictions. By enabling business to initiate a re-entry and recovery process as quickly as possible, CEAS allows companies to maintain core IT systems, meet regulatory requirements and secure critical data and records in the aftermath of an emergency; all with the aim of continuing the functions of business throughout or soon after a disaster.
During this summer’s steam pipe explosion on Lexington Avenue in New York City, steam and mud were forced from the ground near Grand Central Station on East 41st Street from Third to Lexington Avenue forcing people to evacuate the area. With the Send Word Now service, BNET was able to send text or voice alerts to CEAS members’ cell phones and PDAs. They were notified immediately when CEAS was activated by the City and were given status updates on the situation.
“We were extremely impressed with the deployment of the CEAS program at the site of the Manhattan steam pipe explosion, and were pleased that the Send Word Now on-demand alerting and response service was such a vital part of our communications,” said Peter Picarillo, Executive Director of BNET, Inc. “Response to an emergency is clearly more than just evacuating people; it is also about getting people back in. This emergency situation demonstrated to us and to all the CEAS participating businesses that the City of New York takes business recovery very seriously.”
In addition to New York City, BNET’s CEAS program has also been implemented in Buffalo, New York, Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Stamford, Connecticut. More cities like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are expected to participate in the near future. Any city, county or state can adopt CEAS through a written agreement with BNET. Once adopted by a municipality, any business can elect to participate in the program, assigning a designated number of CEAS cards to critical employees or contractors, prior to any emergency or disaster.
Source: Vendor Press Release
Robert Morris University and Send Word Now Partner to Offer Emergency Notification Service for Campus Community
New “RMU Alert” system allows students, faculty and staff to receive instant text or voice messages during weather-related, other emergencies
NEW YORK, NY --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- August 14, 2007. Send Word Now, a provider of on-demand alerting and response services, today announced that it is partnering with Robert Morris University (RMU) to enhance the University’s emergency preparedness and campus security through the introduction of its SWN Alert Service beginning in the 2007-08 academic year. The multi-modal alert and response service, known as RMU Alert, will allow the University’s 6,000 students, faculty and staff to receive rapid communications during situations such as power outages, weather emergencies, or other time-sensitive situations, as well as to respond to alerts if required.
“Robert Morris University is pleased to partner with Send Word Now in offering the RMU Alert service, which will support multiple modes of communication with our campus community,” said Ellen Wieckowski, chief information officer for Robert Morris University. “After this spring’s incident at Virginia Tech, institutions nationwide recognized the importance of being able to reach individual students, faculty and staff instantaneously; we believe that Send Word Now’s ability to contact people through various modes - high-priority texting, as well as voice and email – will allow RMU to accomplish just that, if and when needed. Because the service allows each subscriber to specify up to six contact points, the University feels confident that at least one of our communications will reach individuals, regardless of whether they are on or off campus at the time.”
Many colleges and universities are putting a new focus on leveraging the new technology to reach students promptly– with the communication devices and modes that are most familiar to them. The SWN Alert Service uses multiple modes of communication - including text messaging, telephones, mobile phones, email, pagers, Blackberries, Treos and other PDAs – to deliver alerts within minutes of a message being sent. Campus police, security personnel or administrators can initiate an alert from the web, phone, email or internal information system application. The two-way alert and response service that Send Word Now is providing to RMU is also designed to enable real-time response to voice and text alerts, allowing message senders to verify and track whether a response was made.
About Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University, founded in 1921, is a private, four year institution with an enrollment of approximately 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The University offers 30 undergraduate programs and 19 masters and doctoral degree programs. An estimated 22,000 alumni live and work in western Pennsylvania.
Partnership Integrates Send Word Now Services with iJET’s Worldcue® Global Control Center
Integrated solution provides on-demand two-way notification and response worldwide
ANNAPOLIS, MD --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- July 23, 2007. iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, a provider of global intelligence, business resilience technology and integrated emergency response services, today announced a partnership with Send Word Now, a provider of on-demand alerting and response services. Through this partnership, iJET clients will benefit from enhanced capabilities for communicating with traveling employees, expatriates and emergency response teams in any part of the world using multiple devices, at a moment’s notice.
Send Word Now alert services are now directly accessible from iJET’s Worldcue® Global Control Center, enabling joint clients to monitor threats to their people and assets as well as send two-way urgent notifications from a single portal platform.
“The global scope of our operations requires actionable intelligence, asset tracking capabilities and reliable emergency communication,” said Mark Cheviron, Corporate Vice President of Security and Services at Archer Daniels Midland. “We appreciate the convenience of accessing Send Word Now and Worldcue Global Control Center through a single platform, saving us valuable time in responding to urgent situations.”
“Business exposure goes well beyond security and health concerns in one region, extending instead to a range of threats around the world,” said Tom Shoemaker, CEO of Send Word Now. “iJet and SWN customers can now send two-way alerts using both voice and text to quickly communicate with personnel at risk and require a response to rapidly assess the situation in real-time.”
Worldcue Global Control Center provides corporate and government organization users with timely, predictive intelligence around operational threats, a unified view of their people and assets around the globe, immediate access to key employee and asset information and integrated communication capabilities and coordination. The system offers corporate users a single platform for immediately relating threats to travelers and assets and initiating the most appropriate notifications and responses.
“Business resiliency calls for organizations to establish systems for effectively avoiding and responding to a range of operational disruptions around the world,” said Marty Pfinsgraff, COO of iJET. “Integrating Worldcue and Send Word Now helps to fulfill the emergency communication needs of our clients.”
About iJet Intelligent Risk Systems
iJET Intelligent Risk Systems provides operational risk management, helping multinational corporations and government organizations monitor, protect against and respond to global threats. iJET’s Worldcue® solutions help clients monitor and assess global threats relative to their key people, facilities and supply chain assets; track and communicate with travelers and expatriates; and deploy emergency response services throughout the world. Providing a unified view of threats to assets, iJET enables clients to mitigate risks, reduce corporate liability and prepare for and respond to crises. For more information about iJET, please visit www.iJet.com
Source: Vendor Press Release
Send Word Now’s Alert and Response Service Chosen by BOMA/Chicago for Emergency Preparedness
The Building Owners and Managers Association helps Chicago’s Commercial Buildings plan for Communication during a Crisis
New York, NY, --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- May 23, 2007 Send Word Now™ a provider of on-demand alerting and response services, today announced that it has been selected by The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Chicago to assist with the association’s emergency preparedness planning. BOMA/Chicago will make the multi-modal alert and response service available to its 800 members for rapid communication during a crisis, or for everyday, time-sensitive situations.
The City of Chicago and BOMA/Chicago announced today new and vital communications and logistics protocols in the event of a large scale emergency in the central business district. In a special forum on “Creating a Culture of Preparedness,” Chicago’s Chief Emergency Officer Cortez Trotter will unveil an After Action Report that will detail lessons learned from an evacuation exercise held last September and recommendations for enhanced preparedness and response by both the public and private sectors. One of the key findings unveiled in the City’s After Action Report includes the critical need for additional communications response tools that guarantee redundancy and enable the Office of Emergency Communications and Management (OEMC) and BOMA/Chicago to contact building managers, engineers and security directors in real time in the event of an emergency.
To that end, BOMA/Chicago will announce the acquisition and roll-out of the multi-modal alert and response service from Send Word Now. In addition to BOMA/Chicago now being able to communicate with all of its members through Send Word Now alerts, the SWN Alert Service will also be available to BOMA/Chicago members for use with their tenant communities at a special member discount.
“Send Word Now offers a vital alert and response service that will effectively help us to notify our member buildings should an emergency occur,” said Ronald Vukas, executive vice president, BOMA/Chicago.
About BOMA/Chicago
The Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago™ (BOMA/Chicago™) is the voice of the office building industry in Chicago, representing 270 buildings housing private, institutional and government/public uses in the City of Chicago and 150 companies that provide services to commercial office buildings. Now in its 105th year and the oldest BOMA Association in the world, BOMA/Chicago represents the interests of the people and companies that own, operate, manage and service Chicago’s commercial buildings. Learn more at: www.bomachi.com
Source: Vendor Press Release
Send Word Now, Inc.
Send Word Now is a provider of on-demand alerting and response services driving effective communication during time sensitive situations. The easy-to-use, web based services are used by corporations, government agencies, and educational institutions to ensure fast, effective, two-way communication in real-time, ensuring continuity during time sensitive events - anywhere, anytime, regardless of location, device or connection. The company is headquartered in New York City.
Phone: (212) 379-4900 Fax: (212) 379-4901 Sales: (800) 388-4796
Website: http://www.sendwordnow.com email: info(at)sendwordnow.com.
Does this bio need updating? Please send request changes here.
Schenectady County Implements Emergency Notification System
SCHENECTADY, NY --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- April 9, 2007. Schenectady County Legislature Chair Susan Savage announced Monday that the County is partnering with Send Word Now for emergency communications services. The County will utilize Send Word Now’s conference bridging, multi-device contact capabilities, and real-time interactive messaging to supplement existing County emergency communication systems.
“Send Word Now’s technology will enable us to establish instantaneous, two-way communications with critical personnel in emergency situations,” said Savage. “This capability will dramatically improve communication during floods, blizzards, and other emergencies.”
Schenectady County chose to utilize Send Word Now following successful demonstrations for County personnel. “We anticipate being able to use Send Word Now in conjunction with our GIS mapping to communicate effectively from a central location,” says William Van Hoesen, Schenectady County Director of Emergency Management. “We also see using this technology to coordinate drills and tabletop exercises to enhance Schenectady County’s emergency preparedness. Send Word Now can be used to implement a call center on very short notice, which is critical for any emergency response organization.”
Source: Vendor Press Release
Port of Seattle Expands Use of Send Word Now for Crisis and Security-Related Communication at Airport and Seaport
Treos, BlackBerrys, Mobile Phones and Pagers are Critical Communications Devices for both Crisis Situations and Everyday Issues
New York, NY, --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- March 5, 2007 - Send Word Now™, a provider of on-demand alerting and response services, today announced that the Port of Seattle has expanded its relationship with Send Word Now to encompass over 750 users. Initially provisioned last year for the executive crisis team, in 2007 the Port of Seattle will increase Send Word Now’s alerting and response service to communicate with over 80 different groups within the airport and seaport – including the Airport Communications Center, the Transportation Security Administration, airline representatives, fire and police.
Nick Milos, who manages corporate emergency operations for the Port of Seattle, states, “We saw the value of Send Word Now and have been able to use it as a means of reliably activating our policy room should an emergency be declared. We now have a very easy, quick way to get in touch with all the members of the corporate emergency team. The primary value of Send Word Now is the absolute swiftness of notification. In a recent test we sent an announcement out to twenty top executives, and nineteen of the twenty responded within fifteen minutes.”
Milos contrasted this to the older system where a dispatcher would be called to notify a duty chief. The duty chief would then pull out a spreadsheet and manually start calling numbers, often not getting through and having to leave messages. He describes this as a very time-consuming, cumbersome and stressful process, and lauds the vast improvement with Send Word Now’s Smart Alerts.
Ernie Hayden, chief information security officer, adds, “I was given the task to implement Send Word Now at our 24- hour airport operations facility – the Airport Communications Center (ACC) – to replace our less than reliable paging system. The ACC uses Send Word Now to notify people of emergencies such as a fuel spill or a security breach, and for routine alerts such as minor flooding and snow removal. Send Word Now is becoming a very nice, layered communications tool for us. Now the police and fire department are starting to use it, and seaport security wants to implement Send Word Now. So, it’s rapidly moving out into the organization.”
Hayden continues, “With Send Word Now, you have many options on how to initiate messages. You can use the web-based capability, the quick send code, you can do it by email, use a Treo, or by calling the operator. Those are pretty impressive capabilities someone thought through the idea ‘How in the world can I get a hold of everyone and get this message sent out when it’s really urgent?’”
Send Word Now’s SWN Alert Service is redefining the way organizations mobilize people during an emergency or in everyday, time-sensitive business situations. This is especially important for airports and seaports and other organizations that deal with critical security and homeland protection issues.
Indian Health Service employs Send Word Now service to Coordinate Largest Mass Vaccination Exercise in U.S.
Service Provides Communication and Coordination to deliver Flu Vaccines to 24,000 Community Members
New York, NY, --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- January 22, 2007 - Send Word Now™, a provider of on-demand alerting and response services,today announced that the Indian Health Service (IHS) has used its core SWN Alert Service and Incident Management Service to communicate and coordinate resources during a recent mass vaccination of more than 24,000 community members on one day
The Navajo Area IHS and the Navajo Nation Division of Health conducted the largest mass vaccination exercise in the United States at sixteen different points throughout Arizona and New Mexico. The plan included the real-time flu vaccination of more than 24,000 community members at sixteen sites. Approximately fifty partners participated in this exercise including three states, three counties, seven Native Nations and various federal organizations.
The Navajo Area IHS used the Send Word Now Smart Alert and Incident Management Services as the primary means of managing resources and communication during the flu vaccination exercise and also used the exercise to practice their capability to conduct mass vaccinations in the case of a disaster or emergency such as pandemic influenza. The Indian Health Service is a subscriber to Send Word Now’s Services, specifically using the services to handle crisis communication and coordination during a pandemic outbreak, such as the avian flu.
“We chose the Send Word Now Services to be the primary means of communication and coordination for the exercise based on its ease of use and intuitive nature,” said IHS Emergency Services Director Steve “Sid” Caesar.
Source: Vendor Press Release
Chicago Board Options Exchange© Selects Send Word Now to Stay in Touch with Its Executives, Employees and Traders
U.S.'s Largest Options Market Uses Smart Notification Services to Routinely Alert Traders in Real-Time of Key Developments
New York, NY, --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- August 21, 2006 - Send Word Now™, today announced that the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), the largest options marketplace in the United States, selected Send Word Now as a key communications tool for routine and emergency alerts.
CBOE has been the leader in options volume every year since it founded the listed options industry in 1973. As the largest options marketplace in the U.S., it is critical that the exchange be able to quickly, securely and easily communicate on both a routine and emergency basis with its entire trading community. In addition, CBOE sought a communication service that could provide business continuity in the event of an emergency.
"We selected Send Word Now's Smart Notification Services because it allows us to easily notify all of our traders and staff of critical information in real-time so that they can respond accordingly," said Jack O'Neill, CBOE Director of E Help Desk, Market Operations. "For CBOE, the system is multi-faceted, as we rely on it to efficiently manage our message delivery, disseminate important news, and update our contacts data base. Furthermore, the functionality built into the system will allow us to utilize the service as the backbone of our communications network should we need to maintain business continuity in the event of a major trading disruption to the exchange or the markets."
CBOE, the largest options marketplace in the United States and the creator of listed options, is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For additional information about CBOE and its products, access the CBOE website at www.cboe.com.
The Indian Health Service Selects Send Word Now's Smart Notification Services to Ensure NIMS Compliance
New York, NY --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- June 6, 2006 - The Indian Health Service (IHS) today announced that it has selected Send Word Now's Smart Notification Services to ensure compliance with the government-mandated National Incident Management System (NIMS).
IHS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, provides health services to approximately 1.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to more than 563 federally recognized tribes in 35 states. As the principle federal health care provider and health advocate for Indian people it was critical that the agency be able to ensure quick, secure and efficient communication across a distributed workforce. IHS also sought a solution that was compliant with NIMS and required little or no training for their user community.
United Network For Organ Sharing Implements Emergency Notification System
Emergency Notification For Donor Coordination
New York, NY --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- January 11, 2006 - Send Word Now, an emergency notification and incident management service, has recently signed an agreement with United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to collaboratively build and deliver electronic notifications of available organs between the transplant and organ procurement communities. Send Word Now will offer web services and technology support to UNOS in order to decrease the time it takes donor coordinators to communicate with transplant teams.
"The Send Word Now service helps organizations with time-critical communications and coordination," said Mitchell Orlowsky, President and CEO of Send Word Now. "We believe that our service will help to dramatically improve the placement of organs with patients by more effectively transmitting the time-critical data that is necessary to successfully complete the organ transplant process."
According to UNOS'Assistant Executive Director for Technology Berkeley Keck, "Electronic notification will replace individual phone calls, and donor data posted on UNOS' secure site will replace faxing the same information to multiple transplant centers. The time it takes to place an organ will be reduced substantially."
UNOS'Organ Center staff and procurement coordinators at Organ Procurement Organizations will use Send Word Now's delivery tool to distribute notifications about organ offers to transplant centers using phone- and text-based communications devices. E-mail and text messages will include URL links to UNOS'secure web pages containing medical information about the donor and the organ being offered. Transplant team members can follow these links to view the information they need to decide whether to accept an organ for the patient to whom it is being offered.
"By the beginning of 2007, transplant centers will respond electronically to organ offers. We hope to increase survival rates by considerably reducing the time it takes to place each organ," said Keck.
About UNOS
A private, nonprofit organization, UNOS manages the nation's organ transplant system and oversees the world's most comprehensive database of clinical transplant information under contract with the federal government. UNOS operates the 24-hour computerized organ sharing system, matching donated organs to patients registered on the national organ transplant waiting list. UNOS seeks to increase organ donation through education and improve transplant success rates through outcomes-based research and policymaking. Transplant scientists and health officials recognize UNOS-developed technology applications as the international model for organ sharing.
Press Contacts:
UNOS News Bureau
804-782-4730
newsroom@unos.org
Fairfield County Business Alert Launched in City of Stamford
Sets Up Send Word Now For Emergency Notification
Stamford, CT --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- October 28, 2005 - The Business Council of Fairfield County, in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Send Word Now, and the City of Stamford, unveiled an emergency notification and alerting system that will assist businesses in their responses to and recovery from an emergency. Known as the Fairfield County Business Alert, the system enables businesses to receive information directly from the City's public safety and private sector officials in the event that an unexpected crisis occurs. "Last month's natural disasters along the Gulf Coast have given us a stark demonstration of the importance of public and private sector cooperation in preparing for and responding to emergencies," said Christopher Bruhl, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Fairfield County.
Involving the business community in disaster preparation and response is critical. With 85% of the critical infrastructure either owned or operated by the private sector, actions of the private sector must mesh with those of the government sector.
"In the event of an emergency, the number one priority for the Business Council's Security and Crisis Management Forum is to be able to communicate directly with the public officials to get timely and relevant information needed to protect employees and minimize business interruption", said Jennifer Kearney, of PricewaterhouseCoopers and Vice-Chair of the Business Council Security and Crisis Management Forum.
The need for a public-private communication network was identified in the City of Stamford Weapons of Mass Destruction Tabletop exercise sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on September 15, 2003. "The City of Stamford and Business Council are taking lessons learned from this exercise and putting them into best practice. We heard this need and have found a great resource in the Fairfield County Business Alert," said William Callion, Stamford's Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare.
Using the technology of New York City based Send Word Now, messages can be sent through the Internet, from an e-mail or a live operator. In minutes, registered users will receive a message through multiple phone numbers, e-mail addresses, text messaging devices, and pagers simultaneously. "This is a great tool for business and an example of how the private sector and government can work together," said Michael Sher, Executive Vice President, SWN Communications, Inc.
Next steps in security
Earlier this summer, the City of Stamford, in cooperation with the Business Network of Emergency Resources (BNet) and The Business Council of Fairfield County, launched the Stamford Corporate Emergency Access System (CEAS). Businesses can identify and pre-certify key employees whose job functions are considered essential and who need access to a restricted area following an emergency. "This is a tremendous initiative for all businesses," said Peter Picarrillo, Executive Director, Business Network of Emergency Resources, Inc. "The City of Stamford is demonstrating its willingness to work with the business community, first with implementation of the CEAS program and now with the Fairfield County Business Alert."
"We are committed to making Stamford one of the most prepared cities in the nation," said Mayor Dannel Malloy. "An effective communication channel from the City to the business community will ensure that businesses both large and small receive timely information to implement business continuity plans or enhanced security arrangements."
Fairfield County Business Alert Used in National Security Exercise
In April, several members of the Business Council of Fairfield County participated in TOPOFF 3, the congressionally mandated exercise that took place in Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Canada, and the United Kingdom. As part of the TOPOFF 3 exercise, the Fairfield County Business Alert was put through its paces. Private sector participants were linked up and able to communicate with the State Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security throughout the exercise.
For more information about the Fairfield County Business Alert or the Stamford Corporate Emergency Access System, contact Tanya Court, Director of Public Policy and Programs, The Business Council of Fairfield County at 203-705-0668.
Pfizer Taps Send Word Now to Keep Employees Informed and Safe
Employees Instantly Alerted During Two Recent Natural Disasters
New York, NY --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- April 12, 2005 - Send Word Now, an emergency notification service has welcomed Pfizer Inc. to its family of customers and is now on call 24/7 to help employees of the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company stay informed and keep connected, especially during emergencies.
Send Word Now services enable Pfizer, along with other Fortune 1000 companies and large government agencies, to send a single message to hundreds or thousands of employees globally, reaching voice and text devices in minutes. Send Word Now reach employees where they choose to be reached, through cell phones, work phones, home phones, e-mail, pagers, PDAs, and text messaging devices.
Using Send Word Now's notification services, key management at Pfizer can verify that an employee is safe or perhaps needs help during an emergency. Pfizer recently used Send Word Now during two major natural disasters: to arrange an emergency executive conference in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami; and to cancel an employee meeting during last year's Florida hurricane season.
Michael Dee, manager of the Pfizer Global Security Operations Center uses Send Word Now as key component of a system that tracks intelligence about the security of the company's physical assets and the safety of its employees. "As soon as our global security team learned of the tsunami, we used Send Word Now to reach our senior team around the world and arranged a conference call within 15 minutes to devise a crisis plan," said Dee. "We sent voice and text messages to all their designated communication devices and received and reviewed responses in real time."
Pfizer also used the Send Word Now service to alert 150 employees scheduled to travel to an internal security conference in Key Biscayne, Florida, when a major hurricane traveling north across the Florida Keys suddenly changed direction and turned toward the area where the conference was to take place.
With one phone call to Send Word Now, Dee delivered voice and text messages to all 150 employees, informing them that the conference would be postponed. Dee also requested that each employee send a response back to Send Word Now, confirming their whereabouts. The employees cancelled their flight reservations and avoided the danger of being caught in the hurricane.