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. 5.

Boone campus siren tests are normally conducted on the first Wednesday of the month.

The siren test on the Boone campus 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 for the Boone campus siren warning system 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 Boone and Hickory campus communities. The AppState-ALERT siren warning system is designed to provide Boone campus students, staff, faculty and visitors who may be outdoors with an audible notification of a significant emergency event that affects multiple campus buildings and outdoor venues. The siren will be activated only when immediate, ongoing and/or significant threats to campus are in progress, such as an active shooter on or near campus, or a tornado warning for the area.

In the event of an actual emergency activation, Boone and Hickory campus students, employees and visitors should do the following:

• Seek safe shelter immediately.
• Seek more information by visiting AppState-ALERT.com, the university’s emergency information website.
• Monitor AppState-ALERT.com for updates until the “all clear” message is given.

Boone and Hickory campus students and employees should also:

• Check their cell phone for updates — if registered for voice and text AppState-ALERTS — or campus email accounts for AppState-ALERT messages.
• Monitor cell phone messages, campus email or AppState-ALERT.com for updates until the “all clear” message is given.

Examples of the siren tones that will be used in an emergency or during tests in Boone can be heard by visiting App State’s Siren Warning System webpage.

Opt in for voice and text alerts for either or both campus locations through the Self-Service section of your AppalNET account.

For more information about the university’s AppState-ALERT system, visit App State’s Emergency Preparedness website.

During an actual emergency or disaster, the university posts the latest information and updates at appstatealert.com.

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During an actual emergency or disaster at App State, all university community members — students, faculty and staff — as well as university visitors, App State parents and families, and the general public can visit appstatealert.com for regularly updated emergency messages and other important campus safety information.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.