The American Red Cross, Broward County (Fla.) Chapter, successfully used AtHoc IWSAlert as part of its recent disaster readiness exercise and evaluation. The exercise was conducted in early February and simulated the region's response to a hypothetical, multiple-unit flood in Broward County. The goal of the exercise was to evaluate the chapter's response plan and effectiveness and determine if it has the necessary human and material resources needed to respond to large-scale emergency events.

During the night of Feb. 4, the Red Cross dispatch center received a call regarding the simulated flood. The emergency operations team used AtHoc IWSAlerts to trigger an emergency recall alert to more than 500 chapter volunteers requesting they respond immediately if available to help. Alerts were sent out by phone and e-mail to the chapter volunteers, who were forewarned of the drill. Volunteers were able to reply to the alerts allowing emergency operators to determine who had received the alerts and whether they could volunteer to help.

During the exercise evaluators provided periodic variations in the scenario to test personnel response and evaluate material resources. At the end of the exercise, evaluators reviewed the response and identified strengths as well as areas for continued improvement.

"The exercise is designed to allow us to plan for the type and level of support we would need in a similar scenario," said Aniko Bahr, emergency preparedness manager for the American Red Cross, Broward County Chapter. "It's an opportunity for us to evaluate whether or not we have the required resources to respond. The AtHoc IWSAlerts emergency notification system was a key asset in this exercise, and it helps us communicate effectively to our volunteers regardless of the situation."

Red Cross emergency operators use AtHoc IWSAlerts to alert personnel and volunteers via multiple and redundant means, including desktop alerts, email, cell and landline phones, all from a single, Web-based console. Operators can log into the password protected system, select a preconfigured emergency scenario, tailor it or create a scenario from scratch, then send out a consistent alert through all communication channels. Alerts reach all personnel within minutes, regardless of their location.