Budgeting for Life Safety

The Risks of Value Investing in Life Safety Budget

Every organization looks for ways to save money and maximize efficiency in budgeting. The concept of “value investing”—aiming to find the most cost-effective solutions—works effectively in many areas. However, when applied to life safety budgets, this approach can pose significant risks that outweigh any initial savings.

The True Cost of Cutting Corners

Life safety systems are designed to protect people and property in emergencies. These systems—such as emergency notification, mass communication, access control, and security infrastructure—must function flawlessly when lives are at stake. Yet, too often, decisions are made based on the upfront costs rather than long-term reliability and effectiveness that can save lives when seconds count.

What Are the Pitfalls of Low-Cost Solutions?

Low-cost solutions may be budget-friendly, but many lack the durability, range, and functionality required for sending emergency notifications to multiple people in multiple locations. For instance, a mass notification system with poor audio clarity or limited coverage can fail to communicate critical instructions during an emergency. When budgeting for life safety, many organizations consider their current security infrastructure. Many low-cost options do not integrate well with existing security infrastructure, leading to communication gaps and operational inefficiencies. A fragmented system increases response times and reduces the effectiveness of emergency protocols. While an initial investment in a lower-cost system may seem like a win, frequent breakdowns, costly repairs, and premature replacements often erase savings. Reliable, high-quality systems provide longevity and reduce overall costs in the long run. In life-threatening situations, every second counts. A system that lags, experiences outages, or fails to send notifications promptly can lead to devastating consequences, including loss of life.

Investing in Safety: A Non-Negotiable Priority

Life safety budgets should be built on reliability, compliance, and future-proofing. When evaluating solutions, organizations should consider:

Proven Performance: Choose vendors with a track record of success in emergency communications and security solutions.
Scalability: Ensure the system can grow and adapt to organizational needs.
Interoperability: Verify the solution integrates with existing emergencies and security infrastructure.
Compliance Assurance: Work with experts who understand regulatory requirements and best practices.
Technical Support: We may be biased but our technical support team is one of the best in the industry. Their knowledge and expertise of our products and solutions ensures quick assistance – helping you maximize performance and resolve issues with confidence.

Valcom’s Life Safety Solution

Valcom offers a comprehensive range of life safety solutions designed to meet the unique needs of various sectors, including education, healthcare, commercial and industrial, and government facilities. Our solution portfolio consists of

Emergency Notification Systems: Integrated platforms that deliver timely alerts and critical information during emergencies.
Paging and Intercom Systems: Advanced systems facilitating clear and efficient communication across facilities.
Visual Alerting Solutions: Devices that provide visual cues to ensure messages reach all individuals, including those with hearing impairments.
Integration Solutions: Valcom has multiple paths to integrate with an organization’s security infrastructure.

A notable example of Valcom’s commitment to life safety is our partnership with The “I Love U Guys” Foundation to enhance K-12 school safety. This collaboration integrates Valcom’s cutting-edge software and hardware solutions with Standard Response Protocol, creating a unified platform tailored to the specific security needs of K-12 educational institutions. Valcom’s life safety solution is designed for versatility and can be configured to meet the needs of any market. Whether it’s healthcare, commercial and industrial, transportation, or higher education, it adapts to ensure safety throughout your organization.

Valcom’s solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructures, offering flexibility and scalability. Their systems are engineered and assembled in-house, ensuring high-quality standards and the ability to adapt to specific customer requirements.

The goal of any life safety system is to provide peace of mind, ensuring that when the unthinkable happens, the right technology is in place to protect lives. Value investing may work in other areas of an organization’s budget, but safety, reliability, and effectiveness should always supersede short-term cost savings. Cutting corners on life safety budgets can have irreversible consequences—making it one area where investing wisely is genuinely a matter of life and death. To learn how about Valcom’s market solutions check out Who We Help or contact us directly.

Integration, Efficiency and Safety for Healthcare

Valcom’s Integrated Healthcare Solutions

January 13, 2025

Clear and timely communication in healthcare is vital for patients to receive critical care when needed. Not only is the speed of care important for patients in life-threatening situations, but it can improve staff efficiency, reduce confusion, and increase patient satisfaction. Hospitals rely on multiple systems to address patient communication and safety needs effectively.

Nurse Call Systems for Enhanced Patient Care

Nurse call systems are communication networks that connect patients with nursing staff in healthcare facilities, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities. These systems allow patients to request assistance and help staff effectively coordinate their efforts and resources. These systems are crucial for improving patient safety and satisfaction by ensuring timely assistance and effective communication between patients and healthcare providers. Hospitals may also use pagers, email, SMS text messages, or overhead paging systems to streamline communication further.

Advancements in Overhead Paging and Emergency Notification Systems

Overhead paging technology for hospitals and other medical care facilities has evolved significantly. From basic analog public address systems providing one-way paging to current IP-based systems operating over hospital networks, these advancements offer scalability and reliability for a more integrated solution to enhance communication and patient safety. Emergency notification systems have become essential in healthcare facilities, enabling personnel to broadcast critical alerts to staff, patients, and visitors during emergencies.

Valcom’s Healthcare Communication Solutions

Hospitals aiming to strengthen emergency communication and safety have industry best practices solutions to help the flow. Valcom offers innovative solutions for healthcare facilities and provides enhanced communication capabilities that reduce human error and improve emergency response times. Below are highlights of how Valcom systems improve communication in healthcare:

Integration with Nurse Call Systems: Valcom seamlessly integrates with nurse call systems to ensure faster, more effective patient communication. By bridging nurse call and other communication devices, Valcom enhances response times and reduces the potential for miscommunication.
Emergency Notification with Plain Language Protocols: Valcom solutions support plain language protocols for emergency notifications. These protocols ensure that messages are clear, understandable, and timely, reducing confusion and allowing staff and patients to respond effectively to emergencies.
Reducing Human Error in Critical Situations: Valcom systems are designed to automate and streamline critical communication processes, minimizing human error during emergencies. By integrating seamlessly with public paging systems, digital signage, mobile alerts, and other systems, Valcom ensures that vital messages reach the right people at the right time. A centralized control hub empowers hospital administrators to manage communication consistently and efficiently, reducing delays and confusion. Pre-programmed emergency messages and automated responses enhance reliability, allowing staff to focus on patient care rather than troubleshooting communication breakdowns. Hospitals can trust that critical information is delivered swiftly and accurately, safeguarding lives when seconds count.
Rapid Communication Across Departments: Valcom systems enable real-time updates to be broadcast across departments, ensuring staff remain informed and connected during routine operations and emergencies.

Valcom’s healthcare communication systems are designed to comply with stringent regulations, including OSHA, ADA, and HIPAA, ensuring patient confidentiality and accessibility. Whether for routine announcements or rapid emergency responses, Valcom’s integrated solutions enhance communication, improve patient safety, and foster a more efficient healthcare environment.

Enhancing Emergency Response with Visual Notifications

December 17, 2024

Effective communication can mean the difference between safety and catastrophe in emergencies. While auditory alarms are vital, visual notifications such as LED signs, flashers, and strobe lights add clarity and urgency, enhancing emergency response. These tools are indispensable for ensuring safety in environments with high noise levels, such as industrial facilities, warehouses, and for individuals who are deaf or hearing impaired.
Visual signals cut through the noisy clutter in factories or warehouses. Bright, attention-grabbing indicators like flashers and LED signs ensure that emergency notifications are noticed promptly, reducing response times and increasing the likelihood of swift action. These tools are especially valuable in large venues, such as stadiums, airports, or schools, where clear and actionable information is crucial for directing people unfamiliar with the layout.

Valcom’s LED signs and digital message boards offer more than alerts; they provide specific, actionable instructions. Messages such as “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight,” “Evacuate,” or “Hold” give clear guidance for immediate action, helping to minimize confusion and panic. These visual messaging cues are essential in emergencies, giving a situational awareness of what is happening and allowing them to focus on appropriate actions rather than succumbing to fear or uncertainty.

Visual alerts extend beyond interior spaces to exterior areas. For example, Valcom’s VL590 Large LED Sign can be installed outdoors to notify those approaching a building of ongoing emergencies inside, instructing them to stay away. Enhanced features, like multi-color displays and bilingual programming in products like the VL520BK-F-FC, further improve accessibility and effectiveness. Valcom’s VL520BK-F-FC LED sign can be programmed in schools to correspond with the standard response protocols from the “I Love U Guys” Foundation. The multi-lingual feature enhances comprehension and helps individuals overcome language barriers in settings with a diverse population.

From guiding evacuees to an area of refuge to ensuring accessibility for the hearing impaired, visual notifications bridge critical communication gaps that auditory signals cannot address. As a cornerstone of comprehensive emergency response plans, these tools enhance safety, inclusivity, and security, ensuring everyone receives the information they need to stay safe in a crisis.

Building a Culture of Safety

Empowering Safer Schools Through Preparation & Practice

October 30, 2024

Creating a safe space for students and staff has never been more critical. School safety isn’t just about emergencies—it’s about fostering an environment where students can thrive without fear. Modern K-12 safety solutions prioritize both everyday security and emergency preparedness. This requires proactive measures and reliable systems to prepare schools for any situation. At the core of any emergency action plan is effective communication. In emergencies, timely and clear communication across the school is essential, ensuring everyone receives critical updates when needed. Using advanced paging systems to deliver real-time information helps schools keep everyone informed, reinforcing the sense of safety throughout the campus. Integrating these safety tools with other systems—like access control, video surveillance, and public safety networks—also plays a vital role in school safety. Schools can connect directly with local emergency services and distribute real-time alerts campus-wide through partnerships and compliance with standards like Alyssa’s Law. This seamless communication provides a framework supporting daily security and emergency readiness.

Building a culture of safety involves not only providing the right tools but also preparing students and staff to use them effectively. An example is how Cherry Creek School District developed a safety-first culture by implementing Valcom tools and using The “I Love U Guys” Foundation Standard Response Protocols to train students and staff. The district further reinforces this culture by conducting regular safety drills, allowing students and staff to practice their responses and build familiarity with the protocols. This combination of tools, training, and hands-on drills ensures everyone understands their roles during an emergency, fostering confidence and collaboration across the school community. By fostering confidence through training and awareness, schools can empower their communities to respond proactively and create an environment where safety is part of the daily routine, supporting a secure and positive atmosphere for learning and growth.

Unlocking the Future of Communication Valcom IP Solutions

Scalable. Adaptable. Essential

October 10, 2024

In today’s fast-paced environment, efficient, scalable, and adaptable communication systems are essential for businesses and organizations. Valcom’s IP Solutions offer many benefits that revolutionize how notifications and alerts are managed. By seamlessly integrating with existing systems, these solutions provide a modern, future-proof approach to communication. One significant advantage is their ease of integration. Valcom’s IP solutions can be deployed without interrupting current operations, ensuring a smooth and effortless transition. Unlike traditional systems, which are limited by distance and require physical modifications, Valcom’s IP systems can cover vast areas and be managed remotely. These IP devices are designed to use minimal bandwidth, ensuring network performance is not compromised.

Versatility is another standout benefit. For example, the VIP-893 Interactive Console and the VIP-895-S Building Communication Panel are foundations for robust IP systems, offering intuitive touchscreen controls for managing messages and alerts. The VL-520BK-F-FC multi-function endpoint further exemplifies this versatility by integrating an LED display, loudspeaker, and flashers into a single device. This combination simplifies installation and enhances functionality, providing an all-in-one solution for diverse communication needs.

Valcom’s IP solutions are also designed with future growth in mind. Businesses can cost-effectively upgrade and expand their communication systems by leveraging existing network infrastructure. Valcom remains committed to innovation and the production of high-quality products designed, manufactured, and supported in the USA. You can rely on these adaptable solutions to keep your people safe, informed, and on schedule.

Potter Global Technologies Appoints Roel Vestjens as CEO

Potter announces the appointment of Roel Vestjens as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors. Roel Vestjens succeeds Gerry Connolly, who has led the company since 2019.

Roel joins Potter after an extensive career across leading industrial businesses. He most recently served as CEO of Belden, a signal transmission solutions company, where he spent 17 years in various leadership roles. Prior to Belden, he served in various roles at Royal Philips Electronics and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young.

“We are confident that Roel’s track record and wealth of experience in elevating companies and growing global businesses will be invaluable to supporting Potter’s continued ability to develop new ways to serve our customers and protect lives” said Mark Levy and Kevin Layne, Co-Chairmen of the Board at Potter. “We are grateful to Gerry for his contributions to Potter’s success over the past several years and are pleased to welcome Roel to lead Potter in its next chapter.”

“Potter has a rich history as a trusted provider of mission critical, high-quality fire safety and emergency communication equipment supported by incredible customer service. I see substantial potential for continued growth and am delighted to join the team at such an exciting time in the company’s journey. As we grow from here, we will be building on Potter’s legacy of reliability and innovation in fire and life safety to better serve our customers and protect the public,” said Roel Vestjens.

“I am incredibly proud of the tremendous growth and milestones that we have collectively achieved over the past several years,” said Gerry Connolly. “Potter has a bright future ahead and I look forward to supporting Roel and the Board as they continue to take the company to new heights.”

Valcom & Convergint Partnership

Convergint and Valcom Partner to Enhance K-12 Safety with Integrated Communication Solutions

September 4, 2024

To improve safety measures in K-12 schools across the country, Valcom a pioneer in communication and security technology has partnered with Convergint, a top global system integrator. Through the partnership, Valcom’s cutting-edge software solutions, comprehensive hardware offerings and Convergint’s system integration expertise are combined to produce a unified platform that caters to the particular security needs of educational institutions. This combination of software and hardware is a key differentiator, setting Valcom apart from competitors who typically focus on only one of these aspects.

The Unified Safety Solution

The partnership between Valcom and Convergint brings together best-in-class technologies to create a robust safety ecosystem for educational institutions. Valcom’s integrated software solutions streamline communication, automate emergency notifications, and provide real-time monitoring, ensuring that schools are prepared to respond swiftly to any situation.

Key components of the solution include:

IP6000 Site Manager®

A scalable solution that provides consistent audible and visual alerts at individual locations, ensuring effective local communication for safety and security

VEMASS (Valcom Enterprise Management & Security Software

Enables real-time monitoring and management across multiple locations by connecting with IP6000 SiteManagers. VEMASS ensures swift, site-specific communication and offers enterprise-level control for reliable emergency response.

VEEWS (Valcom Earthquake Early Warning System)

Provides early earthquake warnings in California, Oregon, and Washington, quickly communicating signs of seismic activity to enable timely protective measures.

V-Alert

A mobile alerting application that enables quick and reliable emergency notifications. With features such as geofencing, unlimited messaging, and seamless API integration, V-Alert ensures that critical information reaches the right people at the right time.

Enhancing School Safety and Operational Excellence

Convergint and Valcom’s partnership represents an innovative approach to management and safety in K–12 education. By integrating Convergint’s extensive expertise in security and system integration with Valcom’s cutting-edge communication, emergency notification technology, and hardware, schools can achieve previously unattainable standards of safety and operational efficiency.

With Valcom’s unified platform, which includes both software and hardware, schools are able to streamline daily operations and ensure quick, organized emergency responses. This partnership enables educational institutions to proactively safeguard their most valuable assets—staff and students—while optimizing their maintenance and communication procedures. The combination of these advanced technologies guarantees the prompt and accurate delivery of vital information, promoting a secure and safe learning environment where operational excellence and safety are the norm.

About Convergint

Convergint is a global systems integrator focused on delivering results for our customers through unparalleled service excellence. At Convergint, our top priority is service in every way — service to customers, colleagues, and community.

As an integrator, Convergint works alongside a global network of partners and manufacturers to design, install, and service security, fire alarm, life safety, audio-visual, and building automation solutions for enterprise customers.

Our unique and empowered culture, guided by our Values and Beliefs, helps us stay accountable to our mission, and our number one objective: to be our customers’ best service provider.

Sound360° Voice Paging Quality

Voice Paging Quality in Warehouse Distribution Centers

August 29, 2024

Distribution centers and warehouses that provide voice paging and background music face significant challenges in optimizing sound quality. These buildings typically have large open spaces with high ceilings, concrete walls and floors. These create reflective surfaces, which cause sound to bounce around. This phenomenon, known as reverberation, degrades overall voice paging quality. The more reflections and reverberations there are, the more likely it is that a voice page will become less intelligible.

How can you overcome these audio challenges in a warehouse enviornment?

To optimize warehouse acoustics, it is crucial to understand how sound disperses from speakers, reflects off surfaces, and what type of speakers can overcome these challenges.
Horns and cone-type speakers are the most installed speakers for warehouses. Horns are powerful and suited for noisy environments, but they are not designed for music reproduction. Playing music through a horn will sound “tinny” and in some cases cause premature failure. Horns produce sound via a moving coil and diaphragm within their structure. The sound then travels through the horn and is emitted out through the bell. The sound is usually highly amplified to reach long distances and it reflects off the many surfaces it hits. To cover large sound areas, multiple horns must be used and must be spaced a certain distance apart.

Another common and popular style of speaker is the cone-type speaker. These speakers are found in large gymnasiums and warehouses in low to medium ambient noise environments. Cone-type speakers can emit sound in large open spaces and play quality background music but have their limitations. A cone-type speaker is not as efficient (loud) as a horn so to cover the same amount of area, even more speakers would have to be used than horns to provide the necessary sound coverage. This results in many more points in the warehouse where sound is dispersed, and this results in a greater amount of reverberation. Horns and speakers are generally installed facing in one direction and disperse sound in that same direction. The direction/area that each speaker or horn effectively covers can be described as a dispersion angle. Dispersion angles of traditional horns and speakers at low frequencies are fairly wide but as frequencies increase the dispersion angle narrows. The frequencies that provide voice intelligibility are in these higher frequencies. Still, a properly designed and balanced horn or speaker system can provide an intelligible voice paging system in warehouses. But, there is a better solution.

What audio solutions exist that is not a horn or cone-type that will have less reverberation in a warehouse environment?

An alternative solution worth considering is the Sound360° warehouse speaker from Valcom. The flat panel style acts as if it has many tiny speakers in the panel and disperses sound in 360 degrees. The Sound360° speaker replaces up to 3 to 4 horns or speakers in a warehouse design. This results in less points of sound dispersion and therefore results in less reflection points and less reverberation. The graph to the right shows the narrower range of sound dispersed in a horn or cone speakers and the narrow range of intelligibility compared to the Sound360°. The eloquent design disperses sound in a wider area and provides a greater range of intelligibility than a cone or horn type speaker. The cleaner dispersion of sound results in less trouble with blended areas than you have with horn or cone-style speakers. The Sound360° speaker from Valcom provides better quality sound in a warehouse than a traditional horn and can replace up to three to four horns as illustrated by the graphic on the right.

The Sound360° Flat Panel Speaker facilitates voice paging and high-quality background music, making it suitable for distribution warehouses, light manufacturing centers, and large retail stores. The Sound360° Flat Panel Speaker come in IP, self-amplified and 25/70 Volt. Other innovative products launched by Valcom to improve workplace efficiency and day-to-day communication include the Building Communication Panel. The Building Communication Panel helps companies streamline daily communications and allows for quick activation of emergency alerts to multiple departments and channels.

Modernizing Communications in Warehouses

Moderning Communications in Warehouses

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

The adoption of digital technology and the movement towards “smart warehouses” is a leading topic these days that is written about in industry publications such as Industrial Distribution. These articles highlight that manufacturers and distribution warehouses are shifting toward smarter technologies to automate processes, connect employees, and create a more modern environment. This new technology shifts recommends improving the communication process with employees. Automation might not come to people’s mind when they think about communicating with employees on a manufacturing floor but automating daily announcements, shfit and break tones, and emergency alerts simplifies redundant tasks so your staff can keep the organization running smoothly.

In a recent study conducted by ZEBRA, it was found that the critical component to employee satisifcation and worplace efficiency is fostering a sense of unity and collaboration. As a warehouse and distribution center manager, your role in facilitating effecitve communication is pivotal. The flow of communication is what guides us in our roles, and informs us about who id doing what, when, and where. This is particularly crucial when examining workflows involving multiple employees or tasks. By identifying operation areas where overall workflow improveds could inclurease speed accuracy and productivity, you can help streamline operations well into the future. To identify productivity bottlenecks, start by asking the question, “How can I help my teams communicate better and faster?” For midsize organizations, warehouse distribution centers, and light manufacturing facilities, the task of finding a communciation solutions can be overwhelming. The need for a reliable, comprehensive and cost-effective communication system is crucial for these organizations to maintain operational efficiency and safety.

What Solutions Exists to Help Streamline Communications in Warehouses?

VIP-895-S Images. touchscreen console with colored icons enclosed in a grey casing. — VIP-895-S Building Communication Panel

Valcom’s latest solution, the VIP-895 Series, does precisely what midsize organization need: it simplifies complex communication needs, ensures rapid and secure emergency alerts and daily paging. The VIP-895-S Building Communication Panel and the VIP-895-E Emergency Communication Panel are designed with user-friendliness in mind. They simplify communication complexities and streamline emergency notifications. This ensures that even those with minimal technical expertise can easily navigate the systems, providing a sense of reassurance within your organization. Let’s take a closer look at these two panels.

Streamline Daily & Emergency Communications with the VIP-895 Series

The VIP-895 Series is engineered to seamlessly enhance daily paging and emergency communications.

One-Touch Messaging: Send recorded audio, live voice paging and text to LED signs and desktop popups with a single touch.
Intercom Support: Easliy make intercom calls to Valcom IP speakers, ensuring clear and immediate communication across yoru organization.
Scheduled Notifications: Automate shift and break-tone scheduling to maintain a well-organized workflow.
Secure Emergency Alerts: Quickly relay emergency notifications with PIN code security, targeting specific departments or groups as needed.
Pre-recorded Alerts: Streamline emergency responses with pre-recorded messages that save time when it matters most.
ShakeAlert® Compatibility: Be prepared for earthquakes with integrated ShakeAlert technology, allwoing for immediate and effective responses.

By integrating these features, the VIP-895 Series simplifies the process of keeping everyone informed, making it a valuable tool for enhancing workplace efficiency. In addtional to efficiency, the VIP-895m series provides the peace of mind that comes with knowing your organization can respond swiftly and effectively to any emergency.

Enhancing Efficiency in Light Manufacturing and Warehouses

The VIP-895-S and VIP-895-E are designed to improve workplace efficiency and communication in light manufacturing facilities and warehouses. These panels streamline daily operations and ensure emergency alerts are handled efficiently and securely.

A Cost-Effective Solution without Compromising Quality

What sets the VIP-895 Series apart is its ability to deliver robust functionality without the added expense of extra servers. This cost-effective approach means that midsize organizations can benefit from top-tier communication solutions without straining their budgets. These panels are set to become essential tools in any organization’s communication strategy by simplifying complex communication needs and ensuring quick, secure alerts.

Sound360 Improving Audio Solutions

Improving Audio Solutions in Warehouse Distribution and Industrial Facilities

February 2024

Many warehouse distribution centers face limitations in their audio technology, often restricted to basic one-way paging announcements without the ability to play quality background music.  The audio is typically transmitted through horns, which are not designed for music reproduction. This leads to poor audio quality and can cause premature horn failure.  Consequently, workers resort to listening to their music through headphones or the mixed sounds of the conveyor belt, forklift, and other machinery equipment. However, OSHA has cautioned against using headphones since “listening to music via headphones may produce a safety hazard by masking environmental sounds that need to be heard.” In today’s competitive labor market, where companies struggle to hire and retain employees in manufacturing, exploring solutions that will enhance employee satisfaction and well-being is essential. In a recent study of 500 workers, 87% of those surveyed said they “think that playing music creates a positive working environment.” 

What audio solutions exist that will improve the work environment?

According to this 2023 article from Geekwire.com, Amazon is testing headphones at some fulfillment centers, incorporating strict controls to comply with OSHA safety standards. However, ongoing headphone provision can be costly and does not allow for important paging announcements.

An alternative solution worth considering is the Sound 360 warehouse speaker from Valcom. This innovative speaker offers 360-degree coverage in open spaces and generates minimal reverberation compared to traditional cone-type speakers. Unlike headphones, Sound 360 can facilitate voice paging and background music, making it suitable for distribution warehouses, light manufacturing centers, and large retail stores. Notably, a prominent home improvement retailer has adopted the Sound 360 in all their US distribution centers. Other innovative products launched by Valcom to improve workplace efficiency and day-to-day communication include the Building Communication Panel. The Building Communication Panel helps companies streamline daily communications and allows for quick activation of emergency alerts to multiple departments and channels. To learn more, contact your Regional Sales Manager or email us.