UM-Flint Adds New Emergency Notification Alert System

Students, faculty and staff at the University of Michigan-Flint now can register to receive voice and text messages during major emergencies on campus with the addition of a new emergency notification alert system.With the UM-Flint Emergency Alert system, messages may be sent via email as well as voice or text messages to devices including cell phones and smartphones. All three of the University of Michigan campuses are simultaneously implementing the system for students, faculty and staff. Emergency messages will be sent to individual campuses based on the nature and location of the incident.Beginning March 10, 2008 , individuals can register two telephone or cell phone numbers and a device to receive text messages for increased notification. All active UM-Flint student, faculty and staff e-mail addresses will continue to receive emergency announcements as they have for the past several years."We take our efforts to notify the campus community of emergency situations very seriously," said Interim Chancellor Jack Kay. "This new emergency notification system will be another valuable tool in helping our students, faculty and staff to make life-saving decisions during a crisis on campus."

The new alert system will be used only when a major emergency is occurring. Examples of when the system may be activated include if a person actively shooting a weapon is on the loose, a tornado is predicted to strike the campus area, or a major hazardous material spill is impacting a large portion of campus. Messages will provide directions to recipients as to what action they should take. It is not intended to be used to announce upcoming events, nor individual building incidents such as class cancelations, small fires or suspicious packages.

"We want our students, faculty and staff to register mobile phone numbers for the alert system as soon as possible," said Interim Chancellor Kay. "Text or voice messages can be received wherever they may be during an emergency and lessen dependence on receiving e-mail notices in urgent situations."

Since significant size restrictions apply to text messages, additional information during critical incidents will be posted on the UM-Flint Web site (www.umflint.edu). The Ann Arbor and Dearborn Web sites will information about incidents on those campuses.