NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In theory, having a paper-based emergency plan means an institution is prepared.  In practice, however, paper binders of information will be lost in many disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy, say emergency planning experts at NaviGate.  During Hurricane Sandy, many businesses were unable to respond appropriately due to loss of access to emergency plans from flooding, facility destruction or the inability be onsite.

Accessing the Emergency Plan

When an adverse event occurs, it is of paramount importance that the emergency plan is both up-to-date and immediately accessible. If the emergency plan is housed in a binder, internal network or other static file, it may be physically inaccessible or destroyed during the emergency situation. Likewise, the plan may also be ineffective if it resides only with the security director or a single authorized staff person. Emergency protocol must be accessible to all authorized personnel, so the plan can be executed swiftly and effectively.

Critical Information for First Responders

It is also imperative that first responders can access the information contained in an emergency plan.  If crucial resources like building maps, floor plans, entrance and exit points, call lists, policies, evacuation plans, procedures, utility shutoffs and hazardous material locations are housed in a single, static place, first responders will waste valuable time accessing the resources instead of carrying out their life-saving work.

The Solution: Web-based Technology

Web-based emergency management systems store critical information and ensure that the information can be updated and made available to all essential personnel—anytime, from anywhere.

Information stored on secure redundant off-site servers—in the digital "cloud"—may not be affected by physical barriers or natural disasters that occur on campus. Furthermore, a web-based system makes crucial information available in real-time to any internet capable device.  During an emergency, first responders can access emergency plans that exist in the cloud before they even arrive onsite, thus reducing assessment time and expediting action.

The Convenience of the Cloud

Web-based systems can enhance emergency planning in indispensable ways. The technology that is now available makes emergency preparedness plans not just compliant but dynamic and effective. When plans live in a portal-protected cloud environment, they become "live" plans that are ready to work in real-time situations. The benefits of using these cutting edge technologies is priceless

Information that lives in the cloud, like maps, floor plans and phone numbers, can be updated easily across all files in the system. The ease of modifying information is a feature of web-based systems. With cloud technology, emergency-preparedness planning can be a series of fast and painless updates instead of tedious, time-consuming projects.

"NaviGate is a comprehensive, secure web–based system that operates in this cloud environment and provides the bridge between an organization's critical information and the internal and external users. NaviGate users have instant, continuous and secure access to the critical information necessary for both immediate response and focused operations.," said Dr. Ben Fierman, President of NaviGate. NaviGate's proven effectiveness has received SAFETY Act designation by the US Department of Homeland Security.

SUBJECT EXPERT

Benjamin Fierman, Ph.D., President

ben.fierman@laureninnovations.com

330.606.4980

• Emergency Preparedness in Higher Education
• Emergency Preparedness in the Healthcare Environment
• Emergency Response to Active Shooters
• Clery Act Reporting – Creating a system for consistent, effective reporting across all campuses
• Campus Safety – Creating a culture of safety from top to bottom

About Dr. Fierman

Through his work with schools and healthcare facilities across the country, Ben Fierman, Ph. D. assisted in the development of NaviGate™, a Homeland Security-designated product that enables critical information to be accessed in real-time on any PDA or computer. NaviGate is already in over 1,000 U.S. buildings and allows schools, hospitals or any building campus to upload and access files arming first responders with the intel they need to save lives.  A 25-year veteran of the healthcare industry, Fierman has worked extensively in private, non-profit and public sectors. He has taught on the faculty at John Carroll University, Case Western Reserve University College of Medicine and has guest lectured at Malone College, Walsh University and Northeast Ohio Universities College of Medicine. He e ahas also served as a senior executive with responsibility for strategic planning, business development, facility development and operations. He has published several articles on this topic, including: Sharing Critical Data at Critical Moments.

About NaviGate™

NaviGate™ is a highly secure, Web-based system that can be used by any organization to collect, manage, and apply their unique essential information through integrated document, incident, inventory and learning management functions. Through controlled, role- and permission-based access, NaviGate optimizes daily operations and emergency response, with secure, instant access to information at anytime, from anywhere. Based on its proven effectiveness, NaviGate has received SAFETY Act designation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and has been given a highly effective rating by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) Laboratory. For more news and upcoming events, visit www.laureninnovations.com.

SOURCE NaviGate