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Roger Williams Commons
18 Butterfield Rd
Kingston, RI 02881
Phone: 401-874-2215
Fax: 401-874-2965
E-Mail: housing@etal.uri.edu
URI EmergencyALERT System
From the URI News Bureau: KINGSTON, R.I. -- November 13, 2007 -- The University of Rhode Island has launched a new rapid notification system, called EmergencyAlert that will distribute urgent messages in a matter of minutes to students, faculty and staff through cell phones, voicemail, text messaging and email.
The activation of the EmergencyALERT system follows about five months of work by campus leaders to assess the University's emergency response and communications programs and equipment. Three days after the shootings last spring at Virginia Tech, URI President Robert L. Carothers convened a meeting of campus leaders involved with safety, security and communications. At the meeting, Carothers established subcommittees to determine if additional systems were needed.
While the University has for many years had systems and technology in place to communicate emergency notices, these systems lacked the rapid access needed to quickly reach students, faculty and staff. The new system augments existing communications, including web postings, email, voicemail and automated message lines, but will take advantage of new technologies to build a fully integrated emergency communications program.
However, the system is only effective if all segments of the University community, students, faculty and staff provide current and accurate emergency contact information. Those who do will get emergency messages sent to their communication devices in priority order. And as a bonus, students, faculty and staff will receive class cancellation notices in the event of storms.
The EmergencyAlert system provides:
- Multiple communication options per user - cell phones, land line phones, PDAs, computers, text messages, voice messages and email.
- Two-way communications for voice and data that allow the University to track notifications and determine quickly who is safe and who needs help.
- A plan for parents to be included in emergency notifications.
To enter their most accurate and current contact information, community members need to log on to the University's eCampus system that is used for class registration by students and personnel information for faculty and staff.
For a complete description of University emergency notification policies and procedures click on www.uri.edu/emergency.
