Messaging System the Centerpiece of UMaine Emergency Notification Plan
Contact: Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571
ORONO — Since last April’s tragic Virginia Tech shooting incident, University of Maine public safety officials and others have been working to develop a comprehensive, multi-layered communication system for use in the event of a campus emergency. A Web-based service that delivers messages to cell phones and email addresses is the centerpiece of the new system that will assure the timely delivery of accurate information during an emergency.
“Since last spring, I am certain every college and university has thoroughly examined its policies and procedures in these areas,” says UMaine Dean of Students Robert Dana. “In our case, President (Robert) Kennedy instructed us to address the issue in a comprehensive way, and to put in place the procedures that will assure effective communications in the event of a serious emergency situation that requires mass notification.”
Known as umaine.txt, the messaging system comes from e2campus.com, a national company with higher education clients all over the U.S. Once students, faculty members and staff members register online, they will receive emergency notifications in the form of text messages and/or email messages. The system also allows for delivery to RSS readers, PDAs, text pagers and user home pages on Google, AOL or My Yahoo.
Dana expect most students to lean toward the text message option.
“It is estimated that as many as 90 percent of college students use cell phones,” Dana says. “It makes sense to use a medium with which they tend to be exceptionally familiar and comfortable.”
Some cell phone packages include a nominal fee for received text messages. The system allows users to enter a second cell phone number for notification, perhaps for a phone belonging to a parent.
Students and employees can register to receive information about emergencies, about class cancellations in the case of inclement weather, or both.
In addition, procedures are in place to allow for quick updating of umaine.edu, UMaine’s home page, in the case of an emergency situation. A recorded message at (207) 581-INFO will also provide up-to-date information.
Within the next two weeks, crews will install a siren at the top of UMaine’s Class of 1944 Hall, located near the center of campus. If an emergency event occurs, UMaine police officials will sound that alarm, which will serve as a signal to members of the UMaine community to seek information, which will include advice about what people should do to assure their safety and well-being.
“If the alarm sounds, it is critical that everybody remain calm and systematically set about determining what is going on,” says Chief Noel March, director of UMaine’s Dept. of Public Safety. “They should check for text messages, see if they have received an email alert or visit umaine.edu. If those options are not available, folks should call 581-INFO. Because of the nature of our community, word will travel fast.”
The new procedures are outlined on a sticker to be placed on the inside door of every residence hall room and many other rooms around the UMaine campus. In addition, Dana will send an email message to all students just before classes begin on Sept. 4. Each faculty member and staff members will receive information about the program in the campus mail during the next few days.