September 22, 2008

Purdue to test emergency alert system

The Purdue Police Department's dispatch center will start the test at 10 a.m., said Ron Wright, director of emergency preparedness. The university will then activate all notification processes, except the warning sirens.

The alert system includes campuswide e-mailing, text messaging, the Purdue home page at https://www.purdue.edu, Purdue's Facebook emergency notification group, Purdue residence halls, and Boiler TV emergency alerting system. In an actual emergency, the news media also would be contacted and sirens might be utilized.

The test message will read: "This is the annual TEST of the Purdue emergency warning notification system. In a real emergency, check www.purdue.edu for details."

So far, more than 17,600 students, faculty and staff have signed up to receive emergency text messages. To sign up, go to https://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue, click on "Change My Password," enter your account name and password, and select the "Emergency Contact Information" link.

Purdue also is adding layers to its alert system. More than $700,000 will be spent to add new video cameras at strategic campus locations. A new loudspeaker system in the Bell Tower also is expected to be ready for use later this semester.

For more information on Purdue's Emergency Preparedness programs, see the Emergency Preparedness Web site at https://www.purdue.edu/
emergency_preparedness/.

Writer: Jim Bush, (765) 494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: Ron Wright, (765) 494-0446, rdwright@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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