Montana Department of Corrections Begins Use of New Alert Notification System

The Montana Department of Corrections launched a demonstration project using computer technology to improve the process of alerting department and other key state officials of major incidents at correctional facilities throughout Montana. The CHAIN system, developed by Invizeon Corp., automates a notification network that previously relied on a series of phone calls placed by officers, and will be used only for "priority one" incidents, which include an escape, death, power outage, suicide, assault, riot, hostage situation or sabotage.

Mike Mahoney, warden at Montana State Prison, praised the innovation. "This system will enable command post staff to spend more time resolving issues in lieu of tracking down the appropriate administrators to ensure the incident is properly reported in a timely manner," he said. "This system will represent a significant improvement in our overall management of critical events."

CHAIN is a communications platform designed to provide interoperable communications across all levels of government and non-government organizations. It is capable of transmitting a notification to thousands of recipients, depending on the type of incident involved. It also allows for expansion to include alerts issued to local law enforcement agencies, other state agencies and even to neighbors of a correctional facility where an incident occurred. Recipients -- either from email, work and personal cell phones, office phone and home phone -- must acknowledge they have received the message, a feature that allows officials to determine when and which people were notified.