Anyone here build phone apps? Thinking of facility emergency plan.

[David]

We have a facility emergency response plan at work and managers have some HR specific plans. We update them every year, print them, and put them in binders strategically placed around the facility.

It seems putting them in an app that everyone has on their phone might be a better approach.

I'm curious how hard this is? Something one of our engineers could do or need to sub out to a specialist?

[id10t]

You don't need an app.... You need a PDF file sitting on a web server (probably behind a login), or a wiki site that documents it, or an ePub that is properly built with chapters/table of contents etc

Apps are needed for when you need/want to tie in to phone hardware capabilities - location services, camera or microphone, etc.

You just want a easy way for all concerned to have access to the latest SHTF documentation and a way to point people to it with a click when you send a mass email declaring the world has come to an end....

[rwest]

IT did a similar thing with Material Safety Data sheets (MSD). They put a link on every computer’s desktop in the place so any employee could click on it and get the information.

[IROC]

I like the app idea. I was at a review at Argonne National Lab back in August and they have a phone app with emergency alerts, health and wellness information, maps, bikeshare info, and something called the "Friend Walk" where you can send you location real-time to a friend so they can track you as you walk to your destination.

Pretty cool.

[David]

The PDF idea makes more sense. Thanks

We can format it in a small screen friendly format.

[thingmon]

For a large site, having the evacuation plans on a phone app might be helpful. For example, What is the best evac route based on source (if a gas release or fire) current location of person, and wind direction…

[Alan A]

Apps are kind of a pain. You need two and keeping them up to date is a chore.
I’ve done some iPhone apps. No android.

Website easier. Stick it in your cloud provider du jour.
All phones have a browser.

If you want proper redundancy - as in all phone and Wi-Fi is out - a downloadable file on each phone is going to be easiest. You just need to be able to push updates.

There are plenty of SMS services for push notifications if you need those.