Rapid Emergency Alerting
Rapid Emergency Alerting is an alpha feature, and it isn't turned on for agencies by default. It's built to reach members through the RAM mobile app, which is currently on hold. Until the app returns, phones can't receive or answer call-outs through RAM, so don't depend on it for a real emergency. The web app can still create call-outs, access keys, and groups, and track responses. This guide describes how it works when the app is available. If you would like to test it, contact RAM support.
A call-out is an urgent message sent straight to members' phones. It plays an alarm sound, overrides silent mode, and vibrates, even when the app is in the background or closed. Members answer with their availability, and you watch the responses come in.
To receive call-outs, a phone or tablet needs an access key. Keys control which devices can receive them and how many seats your agency uses.
Rapid Emergency Alerting is a module that RAM turns on for an agency on request. It isn't part of every agency's menu. If Rapid Alerts is missing from your left menu, or the page says it isn't enabled for your agency, contact RAM support.
Table of Contents
- How it works
- The Rapid Alerts page
- Sending a call-out
- Following a call-out
- Access keys
- Registered devices
- Groups
- On the member's phone
- Who can do what
- Best practices
- Troubleshooting
How it works
- Someone with Create alerts sends a call-out from the web app or the mobile app.
- The call-out is delivered directly to iPhones and Android phones that have an active access key.
- Each device plays the alarm and shows the details.
- Members answer Responding, Watch, or Unavailable. A member who responds can share live location and an estimated arrival time.
- You see the responses as they arrive.
The Rapid Alerts page
Select Rapid Alerts in the left menu. It has four tabs:
| Tab | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Call-outs | Send call-outs and follow the responses |
| Access Keys | Create and revoke the keys that let devices receive call-outs |
| Devices | Phones and tablets that have signed in to the RAM app |
| Groups | The member groups you can send a call-out to |
Sending a call-out
- On the Call-outs tab, select Send a call-out. (On the mobile app, open the Call-Out tab and tap Send Call-Out.)
- Alert Details. Pick the type (Search and Rescue, Fire, Emergency Medical, Hazardous Materials, Water Rescue, Technical Rescue, Multi-Agency, Weather Event, or Other). Enter a Title and Details, and optionally a location, a reporting party's name and phone, and special instructions. A switch turns it into a Non-Emergency call-out, which is sent with less urgency.
- Target Audience. Choose All Members, one or more groups, or individual members. Only members who can receive call-outs are offered when you search for individuals.
- Confirm & Send. Review and send. It is delivered right away.
Following a call-out
The Call-outs tab lists them with a status of Active, Resolved, or Cancelled. Use Active, Closed, and All at the left of the bar to switch, Filters to narrow by type, and the tiles to see how many call-outs are open and how many members are Awaiting response or Responding.
Select a call-out to open it. You see the message and every recipient with their answer, whether it was delivered, and, for members who shared it, their location and estimated arrival on a map. Expand a member to see their timeline.
- Update Status closes it. Choose Resolve when it's finished or Cancel Alert if it was called off. Members are notified of the change.
- Delete removes a call-out from the list.
- In the mobile app, the sender or an Edit alerts holder can also send an update message to everyone on an active call-out.
A call-out with no activity for 24 hours is marked Resolved automatically, and members' phones are told. Activity means an update was sent, or a member answered, changed their answer, or moved. A call-out stays open while its operation is still open, or while its Reply by time is ahead.
Updating a status needs Edit alerts, or being the member who sent the call-out (the web page shows the Update Status button only to Agency Admins and Edit alerts holders). Deleting needs Delete alerts. See Roles & Permissions.
Agency Admins and View alerts holders can open any of the agency's call-outs. Every other member sees only the call-outs they were sent and the ones they sent, so responding still works. A call-out shows the reporting party's name and phone, and every recipient's name, email, answer, estimated arrival, and the live location they chose to share. Keep that in mind when you enter a reporting party's details, and before you give anyone View alerts. It's part of the Agency User role, so check your roles if you want fewer people to see this.
Access keys
An access key is what turns a device on for call-outs.
👉 Rapid Alerts → Access Keys
| Key type | Tied to | Use it for | On sign-out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | One member on one device | A member's own phone | The key stays with the member but must be entered again on a new device |
| Shared device | A physical device | A station tablet or a command vehicle phone | The key stays on the device, and whoever signs in next receives call-outs |
Creating a key
- Select Create access key.
- Choose Personal and pick the member, or choose Shared device.
- Select to generate it.
- Copy the key. The full key is shown when it is created. Afterward the list shows keys masked, but anyone who can create access keys (Agency Admin or Create alert devices) can still use Copy key to put the full key on the clipboard. Members who can only view the tab see the last four characters and cannot copy.
- Give it to the member, or to whoever is setting up the shared device.
Keys have the form XXXX-XXXX-XXXX.
Activating a key
When the mobile app is available, open it on the phone, go to Settings, expand Rapid Emergency Alerting, enter the key, and tap Activate. The key links to that device. Each device needs its own key.
A shared-device key that is created but not entered on a device within 3 days is deleted automatically, so unused keys do not pile up.
Reading the list
The tiles at the top show Active keys (against your plan's limit, when it has one), Personal, Shared device, and Not activated. Each row shows who the key is assigned to, the masked key, its type, the registered device, and a status of Active or Not activated.
Revoking access
Hover a row and select Revoke access, then confirm. The device stops receiving call-outs right away. For a personal key, create a new one if the member needs access again. For a shared-device key, whoever is signed in on that device stops receiving them.
Seat limits
Your plan sets how many keys can be active (linked to a device). Keys that are not yet activated do not count. At the limit, Create access key is disabled. Revoke an unused key or ask RAM support for more seats.
Registered devices
👉 Rapid Alerts → Devices
Phones and tablets appear here automatically when someone signs in to the RAM app. Each row shows the device, its type (iOS or Android), who is signed in, when it was last active, its access type (Personal key, Shared-device key, or none), and a status of Active or No access. For a shared device you can Revoke access from here.
A member's Device ID is shown in the mobile app under Settings → About, so you can tell devices apart.
Groups
👉 Rapid Alerts → Groups
Groups are the agency's shared member groups: the same groups used to invite members to activities and to set up group chat. There is one list to keep current. You do not make a separate alert group.
This tab shows each group's name, description, member count, and how many members can be reached right now. A member can be reached only if they have an active access key. A line like "6 of 8, 2 cannot receive call-outs" tells you who needs a key.
To create or change a group, select Manage groups, which opens Agency → Agency Settings → Agency Config → Groups. See Roles & Permissions for how groups work.
On the member's phone
In the mobile app (when it's available), Settings → Rapid Emergency Alerting lets each member:
- Enter their access key and see its type (Personal or Shared)
- Choose the Alert Sound
- Turn Vibration on or off
- Turn Override Silent Mode on or off (on is recommended)
Under Location Sharing, Share During Emergency Call-Outs lets a member share their real-time location and estimated arrival with your dispatch team when they respond. It needs Use My Location switched on first.
The Call-Out tab in the app shows the last 30 days of call-outs.
Who can do what
See Roles & Permissions.
| To | You need |
|---|---|
| See every call-out in the agency, and open the two alert reports | Agency Admin, or View alerts (any member still sees the call-outs they were sent or sent themselves) |
| Send a call-out | Create alerts |
| Update status | Agency Admin, Edit alerts, or being the sender |
| Delete a call-out | Delete alerts |
| See the Access Keys and Devices tabs, who has a key, and which device (each key shown only as its last four characters) | View alert devices (the Call-outs tab needs only View alerts) |
| See a full key, or create or revoke access keys | Agency Admin, or Create alert devices / Delete alert devices |
| Create, edit, or delete Groups | Agency Admin, or Manage alert groups |
Best practices
- Key every on-call member before you rely on the system, once the mobile app is available.
- Use shared-device keys for station equipment. Don't spend personal keys on shared devices.
- Send a Non-Emergency call-out as a test to check that devices respond.
- Watch the Reachable column on the Groups tab after the roster changes.
- Revoke keys for members who leave to free up seats.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| A member does not receive call-outs | Their key should show Active on the Access Keys tab. Check the phone allows notifications for RAM |
| A key will not activate | Check the key is typed correctly. A personal key must be entered by the member it was made for. An unused shared-device key is deleted after 3 days, so create a new one |
| The wrong device shows for a key | A key links to the device where it was entered. Revoke it and create a new one |
| A member has no Call-Out tab on their phone | That phone needs its own active key. A key entered on their tablet does not cover their phone. Create a Personal key and have them enter it in Settings → Rapid Emergency Alerting, then reopen the app |
| A member is not reachable in a group | Their key is not active yet. See the Access Keys tab |
| A shared device is not picking up call-outs | Check the previous user signed out, and that the shared-device key still shows Active |
| The Rapid Alerts page says it is not enabled | The module is off for your agency. Contact RAM support |
Related Pages
- Roles & Permissions: permissions and groups
- Agency Notification Settings: email notification settings
- Agency Settings
- Team Management