How do Emergency Alert Systems Work Using the Internet of Things?

Since time immemorial there’s been one main way of alerting people to danger; someone spots a hazard in the distance, they shout a warning to others, and the process of preparation or evacuation begins. But this process is now being transformed and enhanced by the same technology that’s transforming our homes and cities – the Internet of Things.

What is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things, or IoT, describes the network of physical ‘things’ or objects that are connected to the internet to collect and share data without human intervention. An IoT-connected device might be a smart fridge that orders milk automatically, a lamp that turns on when you’re about to return home – or, a professional security and sensing platform that triggers you when there’s a danger onsite: be it fire, flood, shark, tsunami or cyclone.

How do emergency alert systems work with IoT devices?

You can integrate an IoT-enabled sensor or system with Spectur’s solar and battery-powered cameras to create the emergency alert system you need. This sensor of choice might be a decibel meter, seismograph, air quality monitor, dust sensor, contamination sensor, pressure sensor, smart drumline or any other type of sensor. These can be connected via either cloud or edge-based infrastructure (where data is either rapidly processed via the internet, or through the Spectur platforms internal communications gateway capabilities) and set to trigger a response. The response might include:

• Sending a real-time alert to your monitoring team, security provider or other service, who can view footage in real time and dispatch support or resources as needed.
• Emitting loud spoken warnings or instructions to the immediate area from the camera’s onboard speakers. For example, Spectur’s shark warning systems can be heard up to 400 metres from shore.
• Producing bright visual alerts from the camera’s onboard lighting system to alert people in the nearby area.
• Enabling two-way communication to and from the site via the camera’s onboard microphone and speaker (available with the STA6 model).
• Spectur are even developing an insitu smart signboard, able to display automated or remotely deployed written or visual messages anytime, anywhere.

How can IoT devices improve emergency alert systems?

The key benefit is faster alerts and response when emergency responders are not on site, which has several advantages:

1. The system can ‘watch’ a remote site when you can’t and alert you to danger before you might have otherwise known about it.
2. You can immediately warn and instruct people in the area as teams make their way onsite, giving people minutes or even hours of awareness that could make all the difference for their safety.
3. You can also check in with live vision to see what’s happening onsite from your phone or web interface, so you can despatch exactly the right equipment or services onsite without wasting time.  

In an emergency every second counts, and the Internet of Things gives you more seconds in more ways. If you’re looking to set up a reliable emergency alert system in remote areas, then Spectur platforms can help you to recognise and react to danger faster and potentially save lives as a result. Contact us today to get started.