Situation
Hundreds of residents were forced from their homes and more than 14,000 others had to evacuate when historic rainfall and an emergency water release from a nearby dam caused widespread flooding in February 2017.
Complaints that city officials did not warn and notify residents, 350 of whom had to be rescued by firefighters in boats as floodwaters quickly engulfed their neighborhoods, resulted in the City of San Jose evaluating emergency alert system options.
Problem
Standard emergency warning systems sound sirens, but are incapable of broadcasting audible, highly intelligible voice notifications containing potentially lifesaving information.
Automated phone calls, emails, text messages, social media and other emergency notification methods are only effective if contact information is current or continually updated.
Bullhorns and vehicle P.A. systems have limited broadcast coverage and poor voice intelligibility.
Solution
The City of San Jose implemented a Genasys emergency alert system comprised of a Genasys ACOUSTICS 360XT mobile mass notification system and an LRAD 100X acoustic hailing devices.
Self-contained and mounted on a rugged trailer, the ACOUSTICS 360XT features speakers on a rapidly deployable 30 ft. pneumatic mast that sound warning sirens and broadcast audible voice alerts and notifications with exceptional clarity and uniform 360° coverage.
The portable LRAD 100X is 6X louder than most bullhorns and vehicle P.A. systems and broadcasts voice messages with superior intelligibility from close range out to 600 meters.
Additional Capabilities
Genasys Protect CONNECT provides secure, real-time communication and collaboration, addressing the strictest requirements of public safety agencies, stadiums, and large event centers.
With security at its core, CONNECT ensures the integrity and reliability of every message, offering a robust platform for both internal and external communication and collaboration.
CONNECT facilitates smooth collaboration with external organizations through real-time communication and drives compliance, including CJIS, FOIA and HIPAA, with record retention policies so public safety agencies and security personnel can communicate in confidence.
The ACOUSTICS 360XT mobile mass notification system includes securely mounted, lockable electronics, amplifier modules, a battery pneumatic system, and a rapidly deployable, telescoping 30 ft. mast.
Featuring Genasys’ advanced driver and waveguide technology, the 360XT is fully operational in extreme temperatures, driving rain, and high winds.
On-board batteries are charged using the built-in AC-powered charger or optional solar panel, allowing continuous operation independent of external power and communication infrastructure.
Broadcasting audible, ultra-intelligible voice messages and alert tones with uniform 360° coverage over local or large areas, the rapidly deployable 360XT provides instant mass notification, anytime, anywhere.
