New App Now Available to Ensure You Receive Carilion Emergency Alerts

It’s not uncommon for many working in health care to struggle with alarm fatigue. Whether you’re inundated by email or surrounded by bedside alarms, the noise can sometimes be difficult to cut through.

Our Emergency Management and Police and Security teams are rolling out a new way to make sure you receive emergency life/safety alerts to keep you, your team and patients safe, using the Everbridge Member app.

“When we have an emergency alert, it is critical that the alert rise above the daily chatter, ensuring safety and situational awareness among staff,” said Craig Bryant, director of Emergency Management and Safety.

The app will be pushed to all Carilion devices at 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 28. The app, which has its own notification tone, will be used solely for emergency alerts (like major security or facility disruptions like an active shooter).

“Employees will still receive alerts through traditional channels like call, email and text,” said Craig. “But the app will provide a dedicated channel and alert tone for emergency alerts, helping us to get the attention of Carilion teams when we need it the most.”

Additionally, the app gives users the option to share their location securely with the app (it is not tracked nor is it shared outside of the app). Similar to governmental AMBER alerts, the feature allows users to receive alerts relevant to them in real time if they are in a location other than their saved address. This is particularly valuable for staff who travel and work in various facilities.

“We strongly encourage you to share your location,” said Craig. “Many of our employees travel between buildings or have one-off meetings outside of their offices. The location data, which is kept confidential and only used within Everbridge for emergency alerts, ensures that employees get life/safety alerts relevant to them not matter where they are in our footprint.”

What You Need To Do

• If you have a Carilion device, you must open the app and log in by searching “Carilion” and using your Carilion credentials to activate your account.

• If you have a personal device and would like to receive the alerts, download the app and follow configuration instructions.

• A job aid has full instructions.

Emergency Alert Refresher

The system sends out Carilion emergency alerts to employees about severe weather*, threats, outages and other hazards.

Across our footprint, we have more than 220 sites; many used to use different wording, codes and language. In 2020, we transitioned emergency alerts to plain language. Plain language uses clear, straightforward words that you can understand the first time you read or hear them. In a time of emergency, clarity is key.

Alerts are divided into three categories:

1. Facility
2. Security
3. Weather*

Alerts will be provided using this template: Category + Alert + Location + Instructions.
For example: Facility Alert. There is a power outage in the South Tower of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Please follow downtime procedures until power is fully restored.

If you have questions about installing the app, contact the Technology Services Center via Edison or at 540-224-1599. If you have questions about Carilion Emergency Alerts and plain language, contact Craig Bryant, Emergency Management and Safety, at csbryant@carilionclinic.org or 540-510-6528.

*If you receive local weather warnings, always follow the guidance of the National Weather Service. They have the most up-to-date information and instructions.