Passenger Vessel Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee
September 19, 2007
Lise Hamlin
NVRC/CEPIN
Emergency Alerts
One size does NOT fit all
Accessibility and Redundancy are Key
The best alerts are linked to a central system
Stand alone (plug-in) alerts are virtually useless
Crew must be trained in the use of the alerts
[Symbol for sign language interpretation.]
[Symbol for assistive listening system.]
[Symbol for open captioning.]
Emergency Alerts
US Department of Agriculture has established a system to reach thousands of employees in multiple campuses
Emergency Alerts
USDA Communication Tools – Automatically Provided to all Employees
Visual Fire Alarms
PA system with strobe lights and linked to pager system
Computer Emergency Notification System
Emergency Alerts
USDA Communication Tools – Systems Requiring Action from Employees
“Channel 6” Television Station
Employee Information Phone Line
Emergency Information Website
Voicemail
Email Messenger
Roam Secure, a Text-based System, sending alerts to employees who subscribe
Visual Alarms
A hardwired photoelectric single station smoke detector designed to give reliable early warning of smoke where both audible and visual alarms are required
A 90 decibel solid state piezo signal and a strobe with "FIRE" prominently displayed (Gentex 710CS http://www.silentcall.com/)
[Picture showing smoke detector with visual alarm.]
Visual Alerts
These provide a passive system: passengers don’t need to request them, remember to wear them, turn them on, or worry about them in the pool or shower
Visual alerts get the attention of everyone, night or day
Many deaf people wake from sleep with visual alerts
Visual alerts are valuable in public places as well as staterooms, restrooms
[Picture showing smoke detector with visual alarm.]
Visual Alerts
Other considerations:
Passengers must self identify to benefit - unless visual alerts are installed in every stateroom
May not be effective for all people: a recent study shows that late deafened adults may not wake with a visual alert
[Picture showing smoke detector with visual alarm.]
Visual paging monitors
Visual paging monitors provide text that can be input by crew during an emergency, similar to visual paging systems set up in some airports and hotels
[Picture showing man looking at nine TV screens/monitors.]
Visual paging monitors
Another passive alerting system: there is no need for the passenger to self-identify to benefit
Usable for all passengers day or night: can provide detailed emergency information
May be placed in common areas throughout the ship
May provide text in English other languages
May be able to provide pictures to alert children and people who use languages other than English
[Picture showing man looking at nine TV screens/monitors.]
Visual paging monitors
Other considerations
Does not alert passengers in their rooms
Does require a designated crew member to input the messages
[Picture showing man looking at nine TV screens/monitors.]
Pagers
Pagers or other personal telecommunication devices receive simple text communications in the form of e-mail and SMS.
Pagers would be distributed to passengers on request
[Picture of text pager.]
Pagers
These portable devices can be used anywhere it can receive the signal
Two-way pagers allow the passenger to alert crew regarding an emergency situation, as well as for the crew to push out an emergency message
Pagers that vibrate may be used as an alert during the night if placed under a pillow
[Picture of text pager.]
Pagers
Considerations
Passengers must self-identify to receive one
Pagers must be easy to operate
Passengers who have their own PDA or SideKicks may be resistant to carrying yet another device
Passengers may lose or forget to wear them
Pagers are not helpful in the shower or the pool
Units need to be regularly charged/maintained by crew
[Picture of text pager.]
Portable tactile signaler
Provides a passenger with a vibrating and visual portable alert
[Picture of portable tactile signaler.]
Portable tactile signaler
Portable systems can be used for people with a variety of hearing losses, including people who are deaf/blind
Tactile alerts will wake up people who may not wake up with visual alerts
Used in the room, up to 80 feet from the transmitter
[Picture of portable tactile signaler.]
Portable tactile signaler
Considerations
Passengers must self-identify
Passenger will only receive the alert within the range of the transmitter
Pagers are not useful in the shower or pool
Units need to be charged up/maintained by crew
[Picture of portable tactile signaler.]
Text Messaging
Uses an alert network to contact passengers during a major crisis or emergency. Can deliver important emergency alerts, notifications and updates to several devices at once:
e-mail account
cell phone
text pager
BlackBerry
wireless PDA
[Picture of BlackBerry.]
Sign Language
Messaging
Some PDA could be used for sign language, video streamed messages
Passengers sign on to the device they use most
No need for additional equipment
No need for distribution, education, or maintenance by crew
[Picture of BlackBerry.]
Phones as Emergency
Devices
Accessible phones allow passengers to receive emergency alerts from crew, or send alerts to the crew
[Picture of phone.]
[Picture of text telephone.]
[Picture of women on phone.]
Phones as emergency
devices
TTY’s for people who are deaf, and amplified, hearing aid compatible or CapTel phones for people who are hard of hearing or late-deafened should be provided where voice phones are available to others
[Picture of phone.]
[Picture of text telephone.]
[Picture of women on phone.]
Text Messaging
Considerations
Passengers must self identify, unless part of a package available to all passengers
Passengers may lose or forget to wear them
Device can’t be used in the pool or the shower
Passengers must keep the batteries charged, equipment maintained
[Picture of BlackBerry.]
Door Knock Sensors
Visual doorbells that alert passengers when crew need to enter staterooms in an emergency
[Picture of door knock sensor and visual display.]
Door Knock Sensors
Considerations
Portable units are sometimes over sensitive causing false alerts
Passengers may remove the devices
[Picture of door knock sensor and visual display.]
Emerging Technology
New studies on low frequency/multiple frequency smoke alarms
Some communities are experimenting with sending sign language emergency messages to PDA
Emergency Alerts
One size does NOT fit all
Accessibility and Redundancy are key
Alerts must be linked to a central system
Stand alone (plug-in) alerts are virtually useless
Crew must be trained in the use of the alerts
[Picture of showing two hands.]
[Picture of sign for hearing loss.]
[Picture with letters O C.]