This still image from video shot by a victim of the flooding at Impact Plastics in Erwin illustrates the terror of the flood that killed five employees of the plant at the height of Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024. Family of Johnny Peterson via WSMV
The day the water rose
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene brought flash flooding to Erwin, Tennessee. At 10:39 a.m., Impact Plastics lost power as water began pooling outside. By 10:51 a.m., supervisors told workers they could leave if they felt unsafe, but it wasn’t issued as a clear evacuation order.
Within the next hour, conditions changed fast. By around 12:20 p.m., nearby roads were underwater and escape routes were gone. Six workers never made it out.
The tragedy shows how quickly a manageable situation can become life-threatening. For any organization with teams spread across plants, warehouses, offices, or multi-tenant properties, the takeaway is simple: in an emergency, clear and timely communication can make all the difference.
What the record shows
The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that employees were not physically prevented from leaving the Impact Plastics facility. However, as floodwater rose quickly, normal evacuation routes became unusable, forcing workers to find alternate ways out of the building.
These differing accounts show how fragile communication becomes under pressure. A few lost minutes can separate calm from chaos. Without a system that records and verifies each message, investigators are left with timelines built on memory instead of data.
An auditable alert system that is time-stamped, logged, and two-way creates clarity when memory alone cannot. It protects lives and it protects leaders who must explain what happened.
Why this lesson matters
Impact Plastics could have been any manufacturer, utility, or logistics hub. In places where people work away from desks, communication must move as quickly as the hazard itself.
RedFlag serves environments like:
Factories, plants, and warehouses
Distribution yards and loading docks
Utility and oil-and-gas sites
Multi-building campuses and tenant properties
In each, employees depend on mobile devices, radios, and shared terminals. When danger strikes, email and phone trees are too slow. Teams need a reliable channel that reaches everyone, confirms who is safe, and guides them step by step. During emergencies, text messages are more reliable than phone calls because they use less network bandwidth and can still go through when voice lines are congested.
The lesson from Erwin is simple. Safety plans succeed only when communication systems deliver in real time.
The anatomy of effective emergency communication
A strong emergency communication system turns confusion into coordination. Effective systems share three traits:
Immediate reach across multiple channels: Messages deploy by text, voice, mobile push, desktop, email, and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams.
Two-way communication: Recipients mark themselves safe or request help. Supervisors confirm headcounts. Non-responses escalate automatically.
Targeted delivery: Alerts reach only those in danger, filtered by line, building, or location. Others receive updates later.
When any part of that chain fails, the results can be devastating.
A framework for crisis readiness
Safety and operations leaders can strengthen their crisis communication plan using six repeatable steps.
Automation ensures alerts start the moment those conditions appear.
Send a concise first alert: Keep language simple and direct.
Example: Initial Flood Alert
Subject: Flood alert near [Facility]. Begin evacuation of [Zones].
Body: Water is rising near [landmark]. Evacuate [Zone A, Zone B] now. Use Exit B. Avoid [road]. Supervisors confirm headcount in five minutes. Reply SAFE or HELP.
Collect two-way status within minutes: Ask for short replies such as SAFE or HELP. Supervisors respond “Headcount OK” when teams are clear. Escalate HELP messages to an incident channel supported by phone calls.
Target follow-ups: If someone does not respond, send another message through a different channel. If silence continues, place an automated voice call. Those requesting help receive guidance such as:
“Move to the mezzanine near the north stair. Stay together. Help is on the way.”
Maintain a live dashboard: Track acknowledgements by shift, line, or location. Identify non-responses or clusters of HELP and deploy resources.
Close the loop: When every person is accounted for, send an all-clear. Include time stamps and next-step instructions. Export the entire record for later review.
How faster communication changes outcomes
This timeline combines what was reported in Erwin with established safety practice:
County flood warning arrives; safety lead initiates “Flood Protocol Level 1.”
Alert 1: “Water rising near [landmark]. Evacuate Zones A and B. Use Exit B. Avoid [road]. Supervisors confirm headcount in 5 minutes. Reply SAFE or HELP.”
Within minutes, most respond SAFE. A few signal HELP.
Response team instructs HELP group to move to higher ground and report headcount.
Facilities updates: “Do not use Door 3. Shift to Exit A.”
Safety team phones non-responders until everyone is verified.
Final alert: “All zones clear. Report safe arrival or issues. Next update at [time].”
When guidance is unclear, people wait. When orders conflict, they guess. When leaders cannot connect across channels, they improvise.
Each pause increases risk. Reports from Impact Plastics describe rising water, blocked exits, and shouted instructions competing with storm noise. (AP News)
A modern employee alert system replaces that uncertainty with confirmed action. Every person receives a clear directive and every response is visible.
