Campus emergency alert system will be tested Feb. 4

Posted Jan. 12, 2015 at 11:47 a.m.

BOONE—Appalachian State University will conduct a full test of its emergency notification system – including siren, email, voice and text messaging and the Alertus desktop notification system – Wed., Feb.4 , at 11:55 a.m.

The siren test will consist of a 75-second discontinuous air horn tone followed by a pre-recorded voice message that says, “This is a test. This is a test of the emergency warning system. This is only a test.”

The all-clear activation will consist of a 20-second alert tone followed by a pre-recorded voice message.

Appalachian uses multiple methods to notify and communicate emergency information to the campus community. The AppState-ALERT siren warning system is designed to provide campus students, staff, faculty and visitors with an audible notification of an emergency event that affects campus.

Other than tests, the siren warning system will only be activated during a high risk, life-threatening emergency such as:

An active shooter on or near campus
A major hazardous material spill on or near campus
Tornado warning for campus

In the event of an emergency activation, individuals on campus should:

Seek safe shelter immediately
Seek more information by going to http://appstatealert.com.
Check cell phone or email for AppState-ALERT messages (if registered to receive messages)
Monitor cell phone, email or the emergency website for updates until the “all clear” is given

Examples of the tones that will be used in an emergency or during tests can be heard at http://em.emergency.appstate.edu/siren-warning-system. Appalachian will use the “hi/low” tone for emergencies; “discontinuous air horn” for tests of the system; the “alert” tone for all-clear signal and the “wail” tone for tornado warnings.

For more information about the university’s AppState Alert emergency notification system, or to sign up for text/voice message emergency alerts, visit the Emergency website at http://em.emergency.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.