SEATTLE—With more local governments enacting legislation mandating that hotels provide panic buttons to their employees, companies providing these devices are enhancing their products for better productivity.
React Mobile recently updated the dispatch center for its panic button solutions to provide response teams real-time access to emergency alerts via any browser.
The new customer portal provides remote access and complete administrative control of the cloud-based safety platform from anywhere.
“Having mobile access to emergency alerts is critical in these uncertain times,” said Robb Monkman, CEO, React Mobile. “Whether an employee needs immediate assistance with a hotel guest in medical distress or a worker finds himself or herself in an uncomfortable or unsafe situation, this mobile feature will dispatch help to any device—a smartphone, tablet, Mac or PC—within seconds of being received, no matter where responders are on property. By placing real-time alert functionality in the cloud, responders can act more quickly and confidently, knowing they have the full power of our Dispatch Center in the palms of their hands.”
The React Mobile Dispatch Center is used to:
- Configure a hotel’s response team and notification lists
- Actively monitor beacons and buttons for connectivity and battery life
- Issue alerts and update responders in real time
- Track and log all alert history
The Dispatch Center dashboard displays a map of the property. If a panic button is engaged, the dashboard will display the indoor location of the panic button via Bluetooth beacons or the outdoor location of the panic button using the built-in GPS on cellular and smartphone devices. As the administrative safety hub, this dashboard also provides access to alert histories and provides a listing of all devices, dispatchers, enterprise properties, beacons, LTE devices and more.
“Hotels and resorts have been offering employees security devices and training to help prevent sexual harassment—a problem that has gained prominence with the #MeToo movement and has been targeted by union leaders in Southern California,” Monkman said. “Protecting hotel employees and providing staff members with panic buttons is not only the right thing to do, but there are three major factors driving the adoption of panic button solutions in the hospitality industry.”
One, according to Monkman, is the state and local legislation. He also said that union pressure and collective bargaining agreements are requiring that hotels roll out employee safety devices to their staff. “In an unprecedented effort in September 2018, AHLA announced the 5-Star Promise, a voluntary commitment by AHLA members to enhance policies, trainings and resources, including employee safety devices, that together are aimed at strengthening safety and security for hotel employees and guests,” he said. “Today, nearly 60 member companies representing an estimated 20,000 hotel properties have made the pledge.”