So far, you've learned how to get members into your club using fitness management software and an access control system, in addition to using a surveillance system to verify that the members are following club policy when they enter. The next requirement that insurance companies ask for is related to making sure that members are safe while they're in your club. This is accomplished by using a panic button system.A basic panic system consists of 4 wall mounted panic buttons, 2 panic "necklaces", and a security panel. If any emergency situations occur while your club is unstaffed, your members may press a button and emergency personnel will be dispatched to your club.
As you may have guessed, the necklaces are wireless devices. They are available for your members to use if they should want to keep a panic button with them while they are using the club. The wall mounted panic buttons may be wired or wireless, although the trend is towards wireless due to its ease of installation. You should also have signs that clearly describe what the purpose of the panic buttons is, and how to use them.
The security panel consists of a wireless receiver (to communicate with the wireless panic necklaces), an automatic phone dialer, a battery backup, and a keypad. The panel installs in a similar fashion to a standard answering machine, plugging it into a phone line and then plugging your phones into it. It is designed this way so that the security panel can take control of your phone system to dial a central alarm monitoring station if a button is pressed. The central station will then dispatch the proper authorities, as well as notifying you of the alarm activation. A nice side effect of the panel is that it can also alert you if there is a power failure at your club.
Some optional equipment that can make your panic button system even more functional include a strobe light which flashes when an alarm event occurs (this helps provide members with a visual clue that emergency personnel are in route), smoke / heat detectors, door / window alarms, and glass break detectors.
4 comments:
My grandmother has a necklace style panic button that she wears. It's called LifeAlert. Could we use something like that in our club?
I've heard of that company - I think they do some infomercial type advertising on TV. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the first thing I would do is check with your insurance provider to make sure they approve of it.
My thought is that the Life Alert one was designed for residential use only, and not for a commercial environment like a fitness center, but it doesn't hurt to check.
My insurance company is AIG. They said I need to have several panic necklaces for the members to wear, but they weren't specific about how many. I have about 325 members. How many do you recommend?
We sell a system that has been approved by several fitness insurance providers (including Associated insurance Group) and it consists of 4 wall mounted buttons and 2 necklaces. That seems to be enough for most clubs, but I would still advise checking with them to make sure whatever you buy meets their requirements specifically.
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