Topic: Safety

Displaying 1 - 18 of 265

App State researchers partner to strengthen Western NC resilience 2 years post-Helene
Community-informed projects span energy resilience, data coordination, community health and the arts
Sept. 30, 2026
Two years after Hurricane Helene, App State faculty and staff continue leading research to help build long-term resilience for communities across Western North Carolina. Spanning energy systems, data coordination, community health and the arts, these projects aim to deliver real solutions to problems surfaced and made worse by the storm.
App State to conduct full test of its emergency notification system Sept. 2
Aug. 26, 2026
During the test, App State uses email, voice and text messaging, and the Alertus desktop notification system to test system functionality.
14 App State students graduate from inaugural UNC System Police Academy
The officers will serve with the Appalachian Police Department this fall
July 20, 2026
Fourteen App State students are among the inaugural graduates of the UNC System Police Academy, which launched this year. Beginning this fall, they will serve the Boone campus community as sworn officers with the Appalachian Police Department, working part time until they graduate from App State with their degrees.
App State Chancellor’s Innovation Scholars aim to boost Western NC cybersecurity, trades workforce
June 23, 2026
From securing small businesses against cyberthreats to building a resilient workforce, App State’s 2026 Chancellor’s Innovation Scholars awards are funding two vital faculty-led projects to support the skilled building trades in Western North Carolina and launch a cybersecurity clinic in Hickory.
App State Mountaineer Medics gain international perspective on emergency care
Students engaged in service-learning with London Ambulance Service
April 23, 2026
This spring, App State students and Mountaineer Medics traveled across the pond to study international emergency services firsthand, observing the London Ambulance Service — one of the world’s busiest emergency medical service agencies — in the field. They aim to use their insights to help strengthen local and campus emergency response protocols.
Empowering resilience: App State graduate student creates disaster-ready drinking water system
Bradley Del Vecchio’s design earned him 1st place in App State’s 3MT Competition
April 8, 2026
Leveraging his renewable energy technology studies, App State graduate student Bradley Del Vecchio developed a solar-powered system to provide clean drinking water during natural disasters. Witnessing the devastation of Hurricane Helene inspired his award-winning design, which can produce up to 100 gallons of drinking water per day.
Protecting those who protect us: App State studies the cooling limits of new firefighter gear
Dr. Caroline Smith is App State’s lead for this collaborative research with NC State
Feb. 24, 2026
App State research led by Dr. Caroline Smith, in collaboration with NC State, aims to advance firefighter safety by testing whether new moisture barriers in personal protective gear prevent overheating — a key factor in reducing firefighters’ risk of heat stroke and cardiac events. The work is supported by a $1.5 million FEMA grant.
App State's full emergency notification system test rescheduled for Feb. 11
Feb. 2, 2026
During the test, App State uses email, voice and text messaging, and the Alertus desktop notification system to test system functionality.
App State’s Police Officer Development Program prepares 15 new officers for service
The sworn officers are the 8th class to complete the program’s Police Academy
Oct. 27, 2025
The eighth class of App State’s Appalachian Police Academy comprises 15 graduates who are sworn North Carolina police officers working with the App State Police Department while they complete their degrees at App State. To date, the academy has trained more than 150 sworn police officers.
App State Police Officer Cashae Cook earns NC’s highest award for women in law enforcement
Oct. 16, 2025
App State Police Officer Cashae Cook ’14 has been named Woman of the Year by the North Carolina Law Enforcement Women’s Association. The annual award — the state’s highest honor for women in law enforcement — recognizes Cook’s outstanding contributions and service to NCLEWA and her leadership and service in the App State Community.
How emergency preparedness systems operated during Helene
The Appalachian
Oct. 8, 2025
App State’s student-run newspaper looks back at the emergency efforts that helped keep the campus and community safe during Hurricane Helene, and explores plans to expand communication channels for future disasters. The article features App State alumnus Tom Beam ’89, disaster relief coordinator for Baptists on Mission; alumnus David Jackson ’00, CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce; Jason Marshburn, director of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management; and Megan Hayes, director of chancellor communications.
App State advances community-driven research for recovery and resilience
Ongoing post-Helene projects examine flood forecasting models, backup energy systems, ecological impacts, private well contamination and health solutions
Sept. 19, 2025
App State research in the wake of Helene has the university joining local partners, diving into health data, surveying ecosystems and energizing transdisciplinary initiatives to armor the Western North Carolina region against future disasters.
Answering the call: How the Appalachian Medical Reserve Corps supported the Helene response
The App State organization supports rural public health and community resilience and preparedness
Sept. 17, 2025
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, more than 900 volunteers with App State’s Appalachian Medical Reserve Corps (APP MRC) assisted with recovery efforts, including staffing a 24/7 nonemergency call center to field questions and triage requests. APP MRC continues to support rural public health, resilience and preparedness in the region.
App State to conduct full test of its emergency notification system Sept. 3
Aug. 27, 2025
During the test, App State uses the hi/low tone for emergencies, the discontinuous air horn for tests of the system and the alert tone for the all-clear signal.
3 App State teams confront flood risks and teacher shortages with Chancellor's Innovation grants
Aug. 26, 2025
Three App State faculty teams have been awarded grants of up to $25,000 each as part of the 2025 Chancellor’s Innovation Scholars Program. Their winning projects aim to increase the number of special education teachers in NC’s public schools and better quantify flood–health risks by fusing data, AI and community input.
Aug. 6, 2025 campus emergency siren test canceled
July 30, 2025
The Appalachian State University campus siren warning system test, previously scheduled for Aug. 6, 2025, has been canceled.
Campus emergency siren test to be conducted July 2
June 25, 2025
During the test, App State uses the hi/low tone for emergencies, the discontinuous air horn for tests of the system and the alert tone for the all-clear signal.
Campus emergency siren test to be conducted June 4
May 27, 2025
During the test, App State uses the hi/low tone for emergencies, the discontinuous air horn for tests of the system and the alert tone for the all-clear signal.