Reminder: Campuswide PurdueALERT test scheduled for today

Purdue University will test its emergency notification system, PurdueALERT, at 10 a.m. today (Sept. 28). The test will include the activation of the outdoor all-hazards sirens.

The test will help the campus community know what the sirens sound like and what to do during a potential emergency. Jefferson Howells, director of Emergency Preparedness and Planning, says the university’s emergency plan should be easy for the campus community to understand and follow.

“It’s simple — if you are outside and hear a siren, go inside the nearest building,” Howells says. “If you are inside and hear a fire alarm, go outside.”

While the test requires no action, Howells says it should serve as a reminder to review Building Emergency Plans and the Emergency Procedures Guide.

The U.S. Department of Education requires at least one such test each year. Purdue typically tests the PurdueALERT system during fall and spring semesters.

As part of the test, other notifications also will be sent through text messages, Twitter/X (@purdueemergency), digital signs on campus, desktop popup alerts, Alertus beacons in classrooms, email and BoilerTV.

In the event of an actual emergency, the Campus Emergency Status webpage also will be updated. All incoming students and others who are new to campus are encouraged to sign up for emergency text message notifications.

The scheduled test is weather dependent. If needed, the test will be rescheduled for Friday (Sept. 29). 

Additionally, the most recent versions of annual security reports for each campus are available on the Purdue University Police Department’s website. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is required by federal law and contains policy statements and crime statistics for Purdue. The policy statements address the university’s policies, procedures and programs regarding safety and security. To request a paper copy of a report, please contact the police department at 765-494-8221, at Terry House, 205 S. Martin Jischke Drive, West Lafayette, IN.

Emergency Preparedness and Planning is part of the Administrative Operations organization. The organization supports the university by providing safe, reliable and transformative services. Making sure the campus community is aware of the emergency notification system and knows how to respond in the event of an actual emergency is just one of the ways the organization helps power Purdue.

More information is available on the Emergency Preparedness and Planning website.