On December 1, 2013, Kari Hunt was attacked and murdered in her room at a Baymont Inn & Suites hotel. Kari’s nine-year-old daughter made four failed attempts to call 9-1-1 emergency services for help. Unfortunately, she was unable to reach a line outside of the hotel because she did not dial “9” first. If her daughter was able to directly dial 9-1-1 without the “9” prefix, first responders may have arrived in time to save Kari. In this blog, we will explain what Kari’s Law is and how Revolution can help customers stay compliant with this law.
Removing the Requirement to Dial “9” for External Calls
Since Kari’s Law went into place, internal personnel and first responders are able to react quicker and receive information faster to save lives when someone dials 9-1-1. Kari’s Law was signed into federal law in February 2018 and went into effect exactly two years later on February 16, 2020. The new law requires all organizations with multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) in the U.S., to allow direct dialing to 9-1-1 without having to dial a prefix number to dial out. The statute requires multiple communication components be available to the public, such as direct dialing and direct routing.Kari’s Law also requires all businesses that use MLTS to adopt internal notification processes (such as dial monitoring) that alerts internal personnel when 9-1-1 is dialed. These notifications can be in the form of a screen-pop message (desk phone or desktop computer), automated phone calls, SMS text message, email, or other types of attention-grabbing alerts. This law streamlines emergency communication processes across the nation and aims to save lives.
Dial Monitoring Alerts with Revolution
Industry-leading emergency mass notification software like Syn-Apps’ Revolution can help customers stay compliant with Kari’s Law. Revolution’s Dial Monitoring feature can alert internal personnel when a predetermined number, such as 9-1-1, is dialed from a phone on the network. The notification can include the extension number that dialed 9-1-1, date and time the call was placed, and other detailed information. Notifications can be sent to IP desk phones, SMS text messages, digital signs, desktop computer pop-ups, and more. This is a critical tool that allows personnel to quickly respond to chaotic situations. It is important to notify internal personnel because they can inspect the situation prior to first responders arriving and when they do arrive on-site, they will be able to guide the first responders directly to the scene.Here’s a video that demonstrates how Dial Monitoring works with Revolution:
Syn-Apps can help your organization unify your technology and people to produce dependable communication in order to save lives. Contact Syn-Apps Sales to learn how Revolution can help your organization stay compliant with Kari’s Law requirements: sales@syn-apps.com or by phone at 1-866-664-6071 .