The TOP TWO QUESTIONS from FITNESS CLUB OPERATORS – ANSWERED

CHOOSING THE RIGHT EMERGENCY & MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM

As the leading provider of Emergency and Medical Alert Systems and wearable devices specifically serving the U.S. Health & Fitness Club Industry since 2015, I have had the unique opportunity to engage with thousands of sports and fitness club operators, membership directors, and safety and risk managers via our complimentary live phone, email and zoom call consultations.

The sheer volume of these one-on-one interactions (spread over an eleven-year period that included economic downturns, the Covid epidemic, and the post-Covid lockdown club industry resurgence) has provided me with a rather rare “client side” point of view. This is evident particularly when addressing emergency alert system solutions for risk and safety plan management and insurance carrier compliance.

As dedicated health and fitness club industry professionals, you can imagine I have been posed with every conceivable question, concern and emergency scenario where member and staff safety is the #1 day-to-day operational objective. The growing trend towards 24/7 club access and the resultant spike in unsupervised member activity has only heightened this concern.

I thought it would be beneficial to identify those specific questions and concerns that are posed to me most frequently. For expediency, I have limited and consolidated the number of inquiries to a Top Two grand list. The resulting answers may surprise you. So, grab your favorite sports beverage and let’s have a “session” together:

LANDLINE versus CELLULAR ALERT SYSTEM

CLUB OPERATOR - QUESTION #1: “Does cellular emergency and medical alert systems have distinct advantages over landline-based systems and devices?”

SCOTT/FCAS - ANSWER #1: Yes. Although landline systems are easy to use, durable and reliable emergency response and dispatch technologies, modern cellular systems do offer distinct advantages:

· Strategic floor placement and convenient member access where no restrictive phone wall outlet connection and location is required.

· Loss of facility based electric power (short- and long-term outages) does not impede live 2-way communication via cellular control panel systems and wearable devices:

o Nationwide cellular tower networks can operate during outages, but their total functionality depends on extended battery charge, cell tower infrastructure backup systems (i.e. electric and fuel powered), various network and data center conditions, and backhaul (fiber-optic or other “line” connections to route network calls and data).

o As a rule, up to 8 hours plus extended battery power is provided by the emergency alert system AND most nationwide cellular providers.

o Emergency 911 services are prioritized and may still be reachable even when general services and traffic (congestion due to loss of facility WI-FI) are interrupted. LTE is also employed to maintain increased data bandwidth and streaming.

o ADVISORY: Keep the alert system fully charged (control panel console, not the wearable “buttons”) and use a portable power bank for extended outages.

WEARABLE HELP/PANIC BUTTONS FOR ACTIVE CLUB MEMBERS

CLUB OPERATOR – QUESTION #2: “How many wearable buttons or portable/mobile devices does my club need when using the landline or cellular systems?

SCOTT/FCAS - ANSWER #2: For most stand-alone buildings that are single-story and generally open floor plan (with or without studio spaces), a truly modest number equal to one (1) to three (3) buttons/devices are needed in such emergencies (medical, police and fire events).

· Even with unsupervised staffed time periods (usually from 6pm to 6am or more), members are usually working out collectively in a group-type environment. If an emergency occurs, all members on the floor will be aware of the event. A single member can press the alert/help button either on the wearable device and/or access the standalone control panel base station console (jumbo press button).

· Every FCAS system includes two (2) wearable panic/help buttons designed as a bracelet/watch, pendant/necklace, and/or belt-clip accessory. Additional buttons can be leased at $5.00 per month.

· The wearable panic/help buttons transmit a wireless alarm signal to the control panel base console which then transmits the signal to our FCAS nationwide 24/7 Emergency Monitoring & Response Center (called a “Central Station”) and received within seconds. The 2-way communication between the member user and the Central Station is provided by the control panel base console HD mic/speaker unit.

· The 2-way “extended far-field audio range” is up to 400 feet in any single direction (length of a football field) from the base console.

· Each wearable button has an extended charge and battery life of 3 to 5 years. When the battery is near depletion via Central Station monitoring, FCAS will replace each button free of charge with 2-way free shipping.

· ADVISORY: In the event a wearable button has been inadvertently removed from the club premises, we advise a club policy to return the button within 48 hours, or a $45 loss/replacement fee is charged to the member account. This guidance has mitigated lost buttons and replacements to under 2% annually. FCAS also provides wall collateral to help members identify these devices are live 911 response and dispatch systems which further help mitigate device loss. Club video and software will aid in identifying the appropriate member(s) if needed.

I hope this Top Two Q&A session helps you make the best choice in your quest for an affordable and reliable emergency alert system for your fitness club operations, safety and risk plan, and insurance compliance. Your valued members and guests will thank you!

To learn more, please visit us at www.fitnessclubalertsystems.com and/or by calling us at (475) 257-1243 for a personalized, one-on-one complimentary consultation.