Geographic Redundancy Enables GroupCast to Maintain Operations During F3 Tornado
Video courtesy of ksdk.com
The need for geographic redundancy in a mass notification provider was clearly evidenced by the F3tornado that tore through Sunset Hills, MO on New Year's Eve day. SchoolReach Instant Parent Contact, which provides broadcast messaging solutions for schools, churches and other organizations, is headquartered in Sunset Hills, MO - a suburb of St. Louis. The F3 tornado tore a path of destruction that came within one mile of the SchoolReach corporate offices.
Even though power was never fully lost at the facility and destruction and mayhem was close by, the geographic diversity plan implemented by SchoolReach over the last several years paid huge dividends for our clients. "The SchoolReach system does not even operate out of our Sunset Hills location," said Paul Langhorst Chief Marketing Officer. "We have development and management control from our corporate offices, but the actual phone, email and text broadcasting system operates from several hardened telecommunications facilities strategically located in downtown St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas. These facilities are built to withstand severe weather, natural disasters, telephone network disruptions, power disruptions and are further protected with security firewalls and physical security to prevent access and damage from outside parties."
Fortunately the SchoolReach office was spared any damage and no deaths were attributed to the tornado, but many nearby homes and businesses were severely impacted.