Why a unified communications platform is imperative for public safety

Informed decision-making rests at the core of an effective response to any incident or event. Whether public or private sector, organizations must be capable of building a real-time, accurate picture of what’s happening. More importantly, they must be capable of doing so quickly and across multiple channels, without falling prey to misinformation or suffering from a lack of visibility.

As observed with COVID-19, navigating a crisis with constantly changing guidance and scenarios requires a focus on clear, actionable, accountable and factual information. While speed is certainly a factor where distribution is concerned, government leaders must also carefully review and validate all information before communicating it to the general public. This is especially true as we approach hurricane season.

With natural weather events and other incidents occurring across the country, citizens must be provided with updates on emergencies as they happen with instructions on how they can remain safe. Achieving this requires a secure, unified, communication system. In deploying such a platform, one must keep the following in mind.

Connect Communities via Unified Communication

Traditionally, crisis communication involves one-way, generic notifications to the masses. A new approach is needed here. A fundamental shift towards the real-time, collaborative exchange of information between organizations.

Yet interoperability without active participation adds little value. In order to prioritize and increase public safety, all city constituencies and agencies must participate. A unified, critical-event communication platform must therefore be built for ease of use, allowing participants to easily facilitate and expand its deployment both within city borders and without.

To read the complete article, visit American City & County.