6/11/2008
Campus Technology magazine
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By Gary J. Margolis
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There is little debate that mass notification is the area most influenced by the loss of life at Virginia Tech in April 2007. Not since the installation of emergency “blue light” phones on campuses has there been such a push in security technology, due to campuses being criticized for not having such tools readily available in short order.
Campus Saftey Magazine
June 6, 2008
Most likely, non-emergency communications equipment and traditional mass notification systems are already in place at your institution. With some adjustments, these, combined with newly installed solutions, might be able to provide much of the coverage your institution needs during a disaster. (more…)
WASHINGTON - Just days before the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (DMineola) introduced a bill that would require universities to alert students of a threat no more than 30 minutes after it’s been confirmed. “Many believe if the students had been notified earlier, they might not have gone to class,” McCarthy said yesterday. (more…)
Since the tragic shootings that unfolded almost a year ago at Virginia Tech and the more recent events at Illinois State University, a major question has been renewed in the minds of the faculty and campus police of universities across the nation: How do we effectively protect our students from disasters on campus?
That job is currently of primary focus for the University of South Alabama’s police department, who is approaching new methods of contacting not only the faculty and staff at USA about emergencies and disasters but also alerting the very people they are sworn to protect-the students.
The original warning system that has been in place for years is called W.A.R.N., Wide Area Rapid Notification system, which is a service based in Virginia that works with universities to send out text messages, pages, e-mails and phone messages to faculty and staff in event of an emergency or disaster on campus. (more…)
Nashville, TN - Students and faculty at Vanderbilt UniversityВ and Vanderbilt University Medical Center can nowВ be notified rapidly in the event of an emergency.В
View Fox News Story here: http://www.fox17.com/newsroom/top_stories/vid_1201.shtml
Brown, Vincent. “A Campus Plan for Natural and Man-Made Disasters.” The Police Chief, Vol. 75, No. 2, February 2008. Accessed at: http://policechiefmagazine.org
“Academic institutions in the eastern and southern United States are at risk from hurricanes and floods; the eastern and Midwestern parts of the country, from tornadoes; and the West, from earthquakes and wildfires…. almost all of the regions of the United (more…)
After a well planned and grueling test, UC Davis comments on the results.
“I feel lots more comfortable with the system. My question is — how about you guys. I am very well aware that WARN is going above and beyond to help us with this. There is no way what we paid is close to the service we have received. So, besides the free publicity (that is worth something) are YOU getting anything out of this?”
Valerie Lucus, CEM, CBCP
Emergency/Continuity Manager
University of California, Davis
UC Davis discusses their plan and metodology to test their recent implementation of the W.A.R.N. campus notification system. Click on the link below to see the new coverage.
http://www.news10.net/video/player_news10.aspx?aid=52386&bw=В
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January 2008 PLUS Journal - Professional Liability Underwriting Society
Liability trends for academics has become more complex, and the legal landscape has changed. Campus mental health issues and associated liability claims are on the rise as are parental expectations that drive those claims, panelists told the PLUS International Conference.
The University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) has chosen W.A.R.N. to provide for its integrated campus emergency notifications. Text-messaging students about campus issues is just one component of the emergency notification system that UK has activated. The system is the most recent decision in steps taken by the University to improve safety and emergency response at UK. “When Virginia Tech happened, I was bombarded with phone calls from companies,” said Christy Giles, the director of UK’s Office of Emergency Management. “We narrowed it down to three companies, and one just really stood out to us.”
The University of California - Davis has selected W.A.R.N. for its campus emergency notification needs after a comprehensive review which started with over a dozen providers. (more…)
Thursday, 10/04/07
Some students say they see little need to sign up
By COLBY SLEDGE
Staff Writer
Before University of Memphis junior Taylor Bradford was found shot to death outside a dorm Sunday, fewer than 4,700 people on the 20,000-student campus had signed up for the school’s emergency text message alert system. (more…)
This is a message from the Department of Homeland Security/Emergency Management Institute/Higher Education Project.
(1)В CYBER ATTACK:
Meserve, Jeanne.В “Mouse Click Could Plunge City Into Darkness, Experts Say.”В CNN.com, September 28, 2007.В Accessed at: (more…)
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission held a Statewide Campus Security Conference on Thursday, September 20, 2007 at West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia. Dr. Hazo Carter, President of West Virginia State University welcomed the numerous participants to the University’s outstanding facility.В Dr. Brian Noland, (more…)
Introduction
There are numerous solutions today that can address the critical and emergency mass communication and notification requirements of today’s colleges and universities regardless of the size of the student body, faculty size, and geographical location.
This white paper is intended to assist college and university administrators to understand what the minimum requirements and capabilities should be for a notification system that will meet the present and future needs of their institutions. (more…)