UMaine Sets Siren Testing, Emergency Message System Drill
Contact: Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571
ORONO — The University of Maine will conduct October testing and drills related to its new comprehensive emergency testing system. Some of these events will include sounding of the university’s new alarm system, audible in parts of Orono and Old Town.
UMaine’s new system includes both a siren and a Web-based messaging system called umaine.txt. UMaine students, faculty members and staff members have been encouraged to register with umaine.txt, which will allow for the instant communication of information by cell phone text message, email or other electronic means as selected upon registration.
Under UMaine’s new system, the siren serves as a signal to seek emergency information, by visiting UMaine’s website (www.umaine.edu), checking for a text message/email message or calling 581-INFO.
To be assured that the siren and the system work properly, regular tests have been scheduled for Mondays, beginning on Oct. 8
On that day, which is Columbus Day, at 12 noon, the siren will sound at full volume for a period of up to three minutes. This will be audible in much of Orono and parts of Old Town.
Every Monday thereafter, beginning Oct. 15 at 12 noon, UMaine will conduct a brief, low-volume siren test, just a few seconds in duration.
On Friday Oct. 19 beginning at 11:55 a.m., UMaine will conduct a full-scale emergency notification system drill. This will involve postings on umaine.edu, notifications (text message and email) through umaine.txt, a recorded message on 581-INFO and postings on First Class, UMaine’s internal email conferencing system. The siren will sound on low volume beginning at 11:55, to serve as a warning to employees or contractors who might be working on roofs at that time. The full-volume siren signal will begin at 12 noon, and will last three minutes.
UMaine will conduct full-volume siren tests, as recommended by its manufacturer, four times each year, according to a schedule that will be developed and publicized later this year.