Executive Summary
When emergencies occur on school grounds, there is no margin for miscommunication—yet many schools still rely on a single channel, creating a critical point of failure.
Mount Clear College recognised this risk and acted. By implementing Vivi within its Emergency Management Plan (EMP), the school introduced layered communication, visual instructions and device-based alerts.
The result is faster, more reliable communication when it matters most—and a clear challenge to other schools to reconsider whether their own systems are truly fail-safe.
The Challenge: Over-reliance on the PA system
Before implementing Vivi, Mount Clear College relied heavily on its PA system for emergency alerts—creating a single point of failure. For Aidan Edwards, Leader of School Development and IT Services, that reliance on a single communication channel created an uncomfortable risk.
“All it would take would be for one PA amplifier to go out and you’d knock off half the communication for the school.”
Clarity was also a concern. Verbal instructions could be missed or misunderstood, especially in high-pressure situations.
“Prior to Vivi, we weren’t providing clear enough information… we were relying on one source of information.”
Located in a bushfire-prone area (category 2), the school faced heightened risk. Bushfires can escalate quickly and as a school, they need to move quicker.
The Solution: A Classroom Tool Addressed a Much Bigger Risk
Mount Clear College initially explored Vivi as a classroom technology platform, but Aidan identified its potential to strengthen emergency communication.
“We looked at Vivi for classroom technology use… but in the back of my mind I had plans for improving redundancy in our emergency alerting process.”
When he discovered Vivi’s emergency alert functionality, the connection became obvious.
“When we discovered the emergency alerting functionality, it essentially solved that issue where Vivi could take over any display that we had in the school. It was a no brainer to implement it.”
With screens across classrooms and corridors, the school gained a network for instant visual instructions. ST4S approval and single sign-on also enabled quick, compliant adoption.
Building True Redundancy Across Every Channel
Rather than replacing systems, Vivi was integrated alongside existing infrastructure. Alerts can now be triggered once and distributed across multiple channels simultaneously.
“Someone can trigger an alert that fires across the entire college — through Vivi displays, our door access system and the PA system.”
This created true multi-layer redundancy, with alert types aligned to existing emergency procedures such as lockdowns and evacuations.
The Impact: From Uncertainty to Confidence in Every Emergency
Today, Vivi is embedded across the entire school — from classrooms and corridors to the STEM centre.
Vivi supports both daily communication and emergency preparedness, with alerts tested during term drills. When triggered, displays across the school override to show clear visual instructions alongside PA announcements.
“What’s being said over the PA is summarised and clarified on the screens so staff can quickly see the exact steps they need to take.”
For Aidan, the biggest benefit is the confidence that communication will reach people when it matters most.
“I’m confident knowing that when an emergency is initiated, the message will get out there and there are multiple layers of redundancy.”
Ensuring No One Misses the Message – Even Beyond the Classroom
Vivi Device Alerts extend communication directly to staff laptops, adding redundancy beyond classrooms and PA coverage.
“If a staff member isn’t in a classroom or can’t hear the PA system, device alerts ensure they still receive the communication.”
The school is also exploring targeted alerts, such as notifying trained staff during medical emergencies.
A Message for Schools Relying on One System
For Aidan, the recommendation to other education leaders is simple.
“If you’ve got Vivi, it’s a no-brainer to use the emergency alert functionality. Embed it within your emergency management plan.”
By embedding Vivi into both everyday communication and emergency planning, Mount Clear College has eliminated single points of failure — ensuring the platform is always in use and ready to deliver critical messages when seconds count.
