Everbridge: Fortifying safety and resilience in the Middle East

Lorenzo Marchetti, Public Affairs Manager and Adlan Hussein, Senior Marketing Product Manager, Everbridge explain how the company has further enabled the Middle East to manage critical events whilst mitigating risk.

Everbridge was recently chosen by the City of Dubai to implement a state-of-the-art emergency and incident management platform for operational and crisis management.

The company has etched a significant narrative in the Middle East, exemplifying a journey marked by strategic acquisitions, innovative deployments and an unwavering commitment to enhancing security and resilience.

In this article, we delve into key milestones, emphasising our role in shaping the landscape of critical event management in the region.

Strategic expansion in the Middle East

Everbridge’s entry into the Middle East gained strategic momentum with the acquisition of CNL Software in 2020.

This move wasn’t merely a transaction; it was a deliberate strategy to fortify its capabilities in critical event management and security solutions.

The integration aligned with Everbridge’s overarching mission to provide a holistic approach to handling critical events and improving public safety.

The acquisition of a company with 15 years of regional experience provided Everbridge with invaluable insights into the unique challenges and specific needs of the Middle East.

This collaboration extended across various sectors, including government bodies, airports, emergency services, healthcare providers and more, resulting in the development of robust, secure and compliant systems.

Success of Control Center PSIM Platform

The Control Center Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) platform emerged as a cornerstone of Everbridge’s success in the Middle East.

Deployed across various sectors, including transportation, energy and aviation, the platform demonstrated its prowess in enhancing situational awareness, minimising disruptions and fortifying safety protocols.

Real time integration and analysis of data from diverse security and business systems proved instrumental in facilitating swift decision-making and effective incident response.

Expo 2020 Dubai

Everbridge played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and success of Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Control Center PSIM platform consolidated a myriad of safety and security systems into one unified operating picture.

By providing real time critical event data management, Everbridge not only reduced information overload but also minimised risks, accelerated response times and ensured stakeholders were well informed during the globally significant event.

The involvement at Expo 2020 positioned Everbridge as a trusted global partner for operational resilience and public safety, showcasing its ability to manage high profile events of such magnitude.

Integration of Everbridge products

The company’s commitment to innovation is further illustrated by the seamless integration of its diverse product suite into the Control Center PSIM platform.

This integration extends beyond physical security, enabling organisations to adopt a comprehensive approach to incident management.

Everbridge in action

Revolutionising emergency response: Dubai Civil Defence and the Everbridge SAGA Incident Response System

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Dubai Civil Defence partnered with Everbridge to revolutionise its incident management capabilities through the adoption of the SAGA Incident Response System.

The initiative aimed to align with the organisation’s goals, surmount dynamic emergency challenges and elevate emergency response efficiency to unprecedented levels.

Dubai, a thriving tourist destination and bustling metropolitan hub, posed diverse and dynamic emergency situations.

To effectively address these challenges, Dubai Civil Defence sought a robust incident response system, focusing on digitising the incident management lifecycle, achieving faster incident registration and response times and establishing a common operating picture (COP) for enhanced situational awareness.

Recognising the need for an advanced solution in the face of a rapidly evolving urban environment, the decision to upgrade aimed at ensuring seamless coordination among emergency response units to meet the demands of the modern urban landscape.

Since the implementation of the SAGA system, Dubai Civil Defence has witnessed transformative impacts. The reduction in incident response times has enabled precise measurement of individual fire station performance and overall operational efficiency.

The introduction of a balanced scorecard for control room operators and fire stations has elevated decision-making processes, ensuring more efficient operations.

The SAGA system seamlessly integrates into Dubai Civil Defence’s emergency response procedures, handling everything from registering emergency calls to dispatching the nearest fire station based on automatic caller location identification.

Looking ahead, ambitious plans include further integrations with strategic partners and internal systems, showcasing a commitment to exploring the full potential of the SAGA system in enhancing emergency response and community protection.

Highlighting the alignment of the SAGA Incident Response System with Dubai Civil Defence’s goals, the system has equipped the organisation with capabilities to enhance incident management, leading to improved response times and collaboration with various organisations involved in emergency response.

This strategic alignment complements the organisation’s dedication to ensuring public safety and its aspiration to be at the forefront of emergency management on a global scale.

The SAGA Incident Response System, with its impact on, and strategic alignment with, Dubai Civil Defence’s goals, stands as a testament to the organisation’s commitment to innovation in emergency response.

The partnership with Everbridge played a pivotal role in bringing about significant improvements, showcasing a paradigm shift in the UAE’s emergency response landscape.

As the journey continues, the SAGA system remains a beacon of progress, fortifying the safety and resilience of communities in the region.

Aviation excellence: Transforming operations for a major Middle Eastern airline group

A major airline group tasked a security team with safeguarding the airline and its extensive network and the team adopted a best-in-class and agile strategy to combat evolving threats.

Recognising the need for real time intelligence, the team undertook a digital transformation, integrating critical services into a unified platform.

This central hub simplified operations, offering a single point for managing assets and optimising responses to threats.

This centralised approach has enhanced real time situational awareness, allowing the team to achieve superior outcomes with streamlined resource utilisation.

During crises, having all systems feed into one platform has accelerated response times and reduced risks.

The Vice President of Security highlighted the importance of the transformation and said: “This is a major shift from what we were doing 18 months ago.

“We wanted this application to be state of the art, enabling us to see more, do more.”

Known for their commitment to innovation, the team now values the platform’s flexibility to seamlessly implement new security technologies and innovations, ensuring compliance with industry standards.

As the partnership evolves, the next phase extends connectivity to other facilities, providing 24/7 support and remote monitoring.

This solidifies the commitment to a connected and secure future in aviation.

Innovative security solution for iconic Middle Eastern Museum

One of the key partnerships that Everbridge has made in the region is with a unique cultural institution, the Middle Eastern Museum.

The first of its kind in the region, the venue represents the dynamic nature of the contemporary Arab world and it required a cutting-edge security solution to protect its valuable artefacts.

Everbridge was enlisted to deploy a PSIM solution to address the challenge of securing the museum’s artefacts within its geographically exposed location.

In addition, Everbridge Control Center served as the PSIM platform, automating the integration of security and building systems.

This ensured a secure environment for artefact display while addressing environmental sensitivity.

Key PSIM purposes included unified security system management, auditing, real time information on artwork, environmental insights, visitor behaviour analysis and future technology deployment.

The solution incorporated leading security technologies such as HD CCTV, access control, facial and video analytics, RFID tracking, hostile vehicle mitigation, thermal imaging, video walls and integration with BMS/lighting/fire alarm/public address systems.

After the museum was completed, Everbridge continued providing support, updating the system for new exhibitions and events.

The museum’s management recognised the PSIM platform’s potential beyond security, utilising Control Center for key metric measurement, acting as a distribution platform and automating sophisticated security systems.

In short, the adoption of an innovative security solution, powered by Everbridge and Control Center, has demonstrated the successful integration of technology to safeguard cultural treasures in the Middle Eastern Museum while enhancing operational efficiency.

Enhancing security at Abu Dhabi Global Market Square through digital transformation

Abu Dhabi Global Market Square (ADGMS), a renowned business and hospitality hub on Al Maryah Island, UAE achieved distinction with its LEED-CS Gold pre-certification.

The iconic site, comprising 450,000 sqm of office space, Grade-A commercial towers and a 5.4km waterfront promenade, faced security challenges demanding a comprehensive solution.

ADGMS grappled with security issues stemming from its iconic status, frequent visits by VIPs and its unique architectural features.

The threat of disruption, whether from natural disasters, activism or terror events, posed national-scale concerns.

The need for robust yet unobtrusive security in a public space, coupled with the challenges of its island location, made security measures complex.

Collaborating with Everbridge, the project aimed to integrate and manage various technologies, providing real time threat intelligence and now provides:

• Optimised control rooms – four control rooms were consolidated into one, freeing premium office space for alternative use
• Cost efficiency – reduced man guarding costs while enhancing situational awareness, enabling accelerated response times.
• Automation and real time intelligence – Everbridge technology facilitated automated reporting, saving substantial time and resources. Real time threat intelligence improved incident identification and resolution
• Adaptability – Everbridge’s solutions provided flexibility to adapt to evolving security requirements
• Proactive risk identification – facial recognition systems and risk intelligence allowed ADGMS to proactively welcome authorised individuals and identify potential threats
• Operational efficiency – intelligence from the system, including sandstorm alerts, enabled faster response, reducing risks to people and operations

This digital transformation not only fortified ADGMS against security challenges but also enhanced operational efficiency, demonstrating the efficacy of a holistic approach to security through cutting-edge technology and expert consultation.

The future of critical event management in the Middle East

Looking ahead, Everbridge envisions a dynamic future for critical event management and security in the Middle East, propelled by rapid technological advancements.

The company has committed to leading this transformative journey, constantly innovating and expanding its solutions.

Collaboration with regional partners will remain pivotal, fostering strategies that ensure safety, security and resilience for nations, organisations and communities.

Everbridge’s evolution in the Middle East is a story of innovation, strategic partnerships and a dedication to safety and security.

From strategic acquisitions to successful deployments and contributions to globally significant events, Everbridge has solidified its position as a key player shaping the future of critical event management in the region.

As the journey continues, Everbridge remains at the forefront, pioneering advancements that fortify the safety and resilience of the Middle East and its people.