Topic: Deploying technology to broadcast campus emergencies

That's the title of my topic at the 6th Annual Emergency & Disaster Planning conference in Toronto. The folks at the Strategy Institute always put on a good show.

I'm honored to present at the show, but am equally interested to hear what the other speakers have to say. I would imagine this is a hungry audience, especially with so many public institutions concerned over a potential flu epidemic. The two-day conference is focused on the education sector. Just glancing through some of the other topics and you see words like "infectious disease," "lockdowns," and "shooter incidents." It just goes to show the challenge facing administrators and health workers these days.

I'm going to focus on how digital signage can be a tremendous asset in crisis communication. The exact description reads like this:

Emergency Broadcast Alert Systems provide educational campus communicators more flexibility and control when broadcasting in crises or emergency situations. Come and learn how digital signage networks are:
• Programming and structuring support for a variety of alert levels, including zoned notices, campus-related emergencies, weather alerts, and other crisis-management
• Being integrated into existing emergency and crisis management systems
• Managing to prevent crises from escalating
• Understand how deploying the right technology can enhance the life-saving capability at your campus.

I'm on the Alumni Board of Directors at Butler University and we recently discussed how colleges are preparing for a potential H1N1 outbreak. I can't imagine the challenges faced by colleges when students are packed in there. And let's be honest, many college students aren't exactly known for first-rate hygiene practices.