siuDE.com

Students can start signing up Monday to receive emergency notifications from the university through text messages.

Mike Ruiz, director of University Communications, said students would be able to sign up for the new Wireless Emergency Notification System on the university's Web site next week. The sign up form can be accessed at the SIUC emergency Web site .

The new system is part of a large network of emergency notification systems, including e-mail, a Web site, emergency information phone hotlines and radio notification.

"The main point of this is redundancy," Ruiz said. "No matter which one you go to, you're going to hear the same message."

Ruiz said no system is infallible, and having multiple means of spreading the same emergency message is important. If a cell tower goes down, Ruiz said, notifications through text messages will not help.

"We can't guarantee that just because we send it, you'll get it," Ruiz said.

SIUC's emergency Web site gives an emergency communications card for students to print out, Ruiz said. The card lists each division of the emergency notification system and how to get more information, including Web sites and phone numbers. Ruiz said the card will help students get information in situations where the server is down or the power goes out.

Todd Sigler, director of the Department of Public Safety, said sign up will be done online only and there is no specific sign up period.

"It'll be continuous," Sigler said. "People can sign up throughout the semesters."

Xavier Mims, a senior from Harvey studying business management, said he would sign up for the text message notifications.

"That's smart," Mims said. "It's effective communication."

Mims said text messages allow word of emergencies to spread extremely fast. There is so much going on in the world, Mims said, faster communication is important.

The emergency text message service will be free for all who sign up, but charges from the cellular providers may apply. Once students have signed up for the service, Ruiz said the system will be tested to work out any bugs. An exact date for the test has not been set, but Sigler said he is hoping to test the system in the first week of March.

Madeleine Leroux can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 270 or mleroux@siu.edu.

Article Tools