Emergencies are not convenient. Disasters are never accommodating.

The one common thread that can help mitigate any emergency and disaster relies on a timely, accurate and concise communication effort.

Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) is going to ensure that happens.

NHB is preparing to implement a new emergency warning system for all staff members called Live Process, an internet/cloud-based mass warning and mass notification system designed to contact staff members.

"Live Process is an internet based system that can provide instantaneous notifications, warnings and alerts to either all NHB staff, or selected specialty groups," said Terry Lerma, NHB's Emergency Preparedness coordinator. "It can also be used for command recalls and drills, and other important notices in a timely manner to all or selected personnel regardless of computer email access."

According to Lerma, the Live Process system works on a subscriber based notification process that allows administrators to select and/or set up specialized groups for notification purposes as well as send out all hands warnings and notifications. Once an alert, warning or notification is activated, the system sends a simultaneous message to all designated personnel instantaneously and all the communication devices the member has designated to receive the information. A staff member can also add a family member's cell phone to receive the information via email, text or phone call.

"It's actually a Joint Commissions and Navy Medicine Inspector General requirement to have a mass warning and mass notification system. Lessons learned from recent active shooter and natural disaster events only reinforce the necessity to have a method by which to notify all hands as quickly as possible," added Lerma, noting that the new system will impact all NHB staff including Branch Health Clinic Bangor, Everett and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) staff, and specialized groups such as surgical staff, Code Blue responders and/or Urgent Care Clinic personnel.

Live Process also has the ability to replace activating the time consuming phone tree with the ability to simultaneously connect up to seven communication devices per person such as; work or home email, work, cell or home phone, alpha pager and work blackberry.

"This will instantaneously and significantly reduces the man hours required to notify as well as account for all personnel in the case of any emergency. We are in the process of notifying all NHB staff to verify and update their contact information and contact method preferences," said Lerma.

NHB held initial training for staff designated as 'administrator' for directorates, large departments, branch health clinics and also as 'end users' for specific groups like the security department, command duty officer (CDO) and watch sections.

The administrators were taught how to maintain the overall list of NHB staff, set up, edit and revise 'groups' and ensure contact information was correct for the rest of the staff. The 'end users' were instructed how to send out notifications and code alerts for such emergencies as cardiac/respiratory arrest and armed intruder/active shooter.

"The training was very beneficial. I think it is going to be a great system if we can all be flexible with putting it in to action when needed," said Lt. Laura Gaxiola, Occupational Audiology Department head. "I am going to be the CDO watch-bill coordinator and we needed a representative from PSNS, so I was two birds with one stone."

Gaxiola added that one of her main takeaways from the training was the compiling of the recall list, especially from the PSNS perspective that will help mass communicate to the entire clinic for such potential issues like dealing with winter weather and associated road conditions and traffic delays.

"I am already making recall lists to be used at PSNS. I anticipate its use during any inclement weather issues," Gaxiola said.

The Live Process system is specifically designed for necessary and important notifications and not meant to let all staff know of a pizza sale or the need to get general military training done.

"Aside from our telephone phone tree recall roster, we do not have an efficient or expedient system such as Live Process. Live Process will allow NHB to send out warnings and notifications without relying upon an external source for sustainment or delivery," said Lerma, citing that staff will be tasked with designating at least one method by which they can be notified, just like the current staff recall roster which has the various contact methods for each member.

Some of the Live Process warning/notification examples are:

"Code Blue (cardiac or respiratory arrest). There is a Code Blue on the XX Floor, Room XX. Activate the Code Blue team."

"Storm Warning: Heavy snow, ice and high winds are predicted tonight. All staff make emergency preparations for home and family. Additional staff notifications to follow on NHB operations tomorrow."

Lerma attests that any device capable of receiving a short message service (SMS) text or email notification such as pagers, smart phones, flip phones, Blackberry's and desktop personal computers are all capable of receiving from Live Process.

"The administrators and group users can build a reply into the system with up to five different responses that allow members options on replies to the messages. The Live Process system can generate an event log and show in real time how many staff received the notifications, any notifications or warnings that failed to connect, and how many staff replied or did not respond. The event log data will help to streamline the notification process or correct an error in phone number or email address, or allow the update of information such as new cell phones numbers, or updated email addresses," Lerma explained.

Like many systems, Lerma stresses that the Live Process systems is only as accurate as the information provided.

"As long as we are able to get the most up to date command alpha roster, the system should be at least 99.9 percent accurate. The chain of command at all levels, along with the administrators, need to have an active hand in validating and verifying that 100 percent of the staff are accounted for, or have been entered into the Live Process notification system," said Lerma.

For more news from Naval Hospital Bremerton, visit www.navy.mil/.