App State to conduct full test of its emergency notification system Feb. 3

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University will conduct a full test of its emergency notification system — including, but not limited to, siren, email, voice and text messaging, and the Alertus desktop notification system — at 11:55 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 3.

The siren test will consist of a 75-second discontinuous air horn tone followed by a prerecorded 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 prerecorded voice message. An all-clear email will also be sent to campus accounts.

App State 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.
• A tornado warning for campus.

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

• Seek safe shelter immediately.
• Seek more information by going to AppState-ALERT, the university’s emergency website.
• Check cell phone or email for AppState-ALERT messages (if registered to receive these 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 by visiting App State’s Siren Warning System webpage.

More information about emergency preparedness at App State, including how to register for the mobile phone and email AppState-ALERT emergency notification system, is available on App State’s Emergency Preparedness website.

The siren tests are normally conducted on the first Wednesday of the month. Scheduled dates for the university’s upcoming tests are March 3 and April 7.

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About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, 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 more than 20,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.