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.

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.

The Briefings: A National School Safety Symposium

Valcom will be attending The “I Love U Guys” Foundation National School Safety Symposium in San Mateo, California, November 7-8. To learn more about the Sessions at this 2-day symposium click here.

2024 Raptor SchoolSAFE Conference

Join Valcom at the 2024 Raptor SchoolSAFE Conference in November 5-6.

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Booth: 13

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.

ASIS GSX 2024

September 23-25, 2024

Booth No:. 2221

Orange County Convention Center

Orlando, Florida

Event link

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.

Valcom Introduces the VIP-895 Series

Next-Level Communication Panels for Enhanced Alerting

Roanoke, Va., (May 13, 2024) – Valcom, a division of Potter Global Technologies and a premier provider of emergency notification solutions, has introduced its newest offerings: the latest Building Communication Panel (VIP-895-S) and the Emergency Communication Panel (VIP-895-E). These cutting-edge systems cater specifically to midsize organizations seeking a streamlined notification solution for everyday and emergency alerts. What sets these panels apart is their ability to deliver robust functionality without the added expense of extra servers.

“Our VIP-895 Series reflects Valcom’s commitment to empowering midsize organizations with efficient, cost-effective solutions,” said Dan Smith, vice president of sales and support solutions at Valcom.
”With these new panels, we’re simplifying communication complexities and streamlining emergency notifications so you can reach every eye and ear within your organization.”

The Building Communication Panel simplifies daily communications in organizations. It allows one-touch sending of recorded audio, live voice messages, and text to LED signs and desktop popups. It supports intercom calls to Valcom IP speakers, scheduling of shift and break tones and emergency notifications with PIN code security access. It is designed for rapid relay of information and emergency alerts to multiple departments or targeted groups.

The Emergency Communication Panel, with its user-friendly interface, enables quick alerts to multiple departments or targeted messages, with secure access through PIN codes. The VIP-895-E streamlines emergency notifications with pre-recorded alerts, is ideal for earthquake-prone areas, and is ShakeAlert® compatible, empowering you to respond swiftly and effectively.

When Seconds Count

Be Proactive in Your Emergency Preparedness for Earthquakes

March 2024

In a world where natural disasters pose significant threats to life safety, communities, and infrastructure, the need for proactive measures to mitigate their impact is a top priority. Among these disasters, earthquakes are sudden, destructive forces capable of causing widespread devastation within seconds. Yet, amidst the unpredictable nature of seismic events, Valcom’s Earthquake Early Warning System provides on-premises notifications triggered by the USGS ShakeAlert® to alert individuals to take protective actions – DROP! COVER! HOLD ON!

Earthquake early warning systems are pivotal in disaster preparedness and response strategies. These systems leverage technology and scientific understanding to detect seismic activity and provide vital seconds to minutes of warning before destructive shaking occurs. The importance of such warnings cannot be overstated, and here are compelling reasons why investing in earthquake early warning systems is paramount.

First and foremost, the paramount concern in any disaster scenario is preserving human life. With their abrupt onset and potential for catastrophic consequences, Earthquakes demand swift and decisive action. By providing advance notice of impending seismic activity, early warning systems offer precious moments for individuals, communities, and emergency responders to enact life-saving measures. Whether taking cover, securing hazardous materials, or initiating evacuation procedures, even a few seconds of warning can significantly mitigate casualties and injuries. Investing in Valcom’s Earthquake Early Warning System is a proactive approach to disaster risk reduction, and providing early earthquake notifications is imperative to saving lives.

The benefits of early warning systems are universal, whether in seismically active regions prone to frequent earthquakes or areas with historically low seismicity. As stewards of our collective safety and well-being, we must prioritize investments in resilient infrastructure and emergency disaster preparedness measures. Valcom has added its Earthquake Early Warning System to its latest product, the VIP-895-E Emergency Communications Panel. The Emergency Communication Panel is a wall-mounted device designed for facilities of any size that integrates with your existing overhead paging system and Valcom visual displays to send emergency alerts to notify employees. VIP-895-E receives ShakeAlert messages, and once the message is received, the VIP-895-E is triggered to send out an Earthquake Early Warning audibly, visibility, or both to satisfy OSHA and ADA regulations.

By adopting Valcom’s Earthquake Early Warning System, you mitigate the immediate seismic risks and enhance safety measures to save lives.