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With the risk analysis, the entity should attempt to prevent, mitigate and prepare emergency response and recovery plans for identified threats, hazards or emergencies that could significantly impact people, property, operations, the environment or the campus. As a component of this performance-based evaluation, the risk analysis should establish the specifics of how the ECS/MNS should operate, be designed, installed and tested.
The risk analysis should identify and prioritize the likely scenarios in which the system would be deployed. It should address risk, probability and loss effect, and determine which methods of communication to deploy. It should also identify the appropriate management plans and procedures to implement. The method of determining what system should be installed or the best way to communicate with the building occupants should not be haphazard.
The risk analysis needs to capture the number and characteristics of the people who are expected to receive the emergency message or instructions, and explain the extent of notification throughout the facility or complex. The risk analysis should also determine if and when mass notification messages should override the fire alarm message, as well as provide performance and survivability requirements for the system.
As one might expect, not all mass notification messages should take priority over the fire alarm messages to relocate or evacuate. Message priority for emergency conditions, such as severe weather warnings, gas leaks, chemical spills and other hazardous conditions, should be outlined in the risk analysis.
Ultimately, once the risk analysis has been developed and agreed upon by all stakeholders, the ECS/MNS can be designed, installed and tested.
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