Firm’s Notification Systems Put Through Paces in Japan

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The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have put a Glendale company’s technology to the test.

Everbridge, an emergency notification system provider, has a number of government and business customers in Asia, Hawaii and the United States that used the company’s technology to send evacuation and warning notifications to residents and employees affected by the disaster.

In the first 24 hours after the March 10 earthquake, Everbridge’s alert system was used to send out more than 700 messages for more than 150 customers.

Everbridge technology lets customers – which include local governments, international corporations and college campuses – send mass voice messages, e-mails and text messages to residents or employees for routine situations, or in the event of a natural disaster or crisis.

For example, if the Hawaiian government was an Everbridge customer, it could have sent warnings or evacuation alerts to all the residents who live in areas that were in danger of getting hit by the tsunami.

The company’s alert system typically helps customers send out millions of messages each month, but Marc Ladin, chief marketing officer for Everbridge, said the earthquake in Japan added to the number.

“There was definitely a spike because it was such a widespread disaster,” Ladin said.

Although phone lines were down in many parts of Japan after the earthquake and tsunami, Everbridge’s messages reached most people because they were sent out via text to mobile phones or e-mail, said Cinta Putra, the company’s chief executive.

“There’s not just one way to reach a recipient,” Putra said.

Not all of Everbridge’s clients use its notification system for emergencies, but Ladin said the best use of the system is for crises such as the disasters that have fallen upon Japan.

“It reinforces the fact that crisis communication is an important feature,” he said.

News & Notes

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Staff reporter Natalie Jarvey can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 230.

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