GREENSBORO, NC - As classes are starting today, no one wants to imagine a disturbance to the peace and safety of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro - but planning teams have done just that for the past 18 months.
The university is investing almost $1 million over three years in the system of emergency notification and security measures, with many of them already in place. It is designed to handle problems ranging from a Virginia Tech-style tragedy to a lengthy pandemic that could close the campus.
"While we hope that a crisis or emergency will never occur at UNCG, the university has made emergency preparedness a priority," said Bruce Griffin, assistant vice chancellor for environmental safety. "We have an Emergency Planning and Response Team and a Crisis Management Group which are ready to be activated if an urgent situation arises.
"Safety is our number one concern, and our response system helps ensure campus-wide awareness of how to respond to crises. We have based it on a strategically-developed and continually updated Crisis Communication Plan. By using multiple communication systems, the university can provide rapid notification to more than 17,000 students and 2,500 faculty and staff."
Measures that are already in place are:
- Web - Emergency information will be posted on the University homepage www.uncg.edu and the emergency information web site www.uncg-campus.info.
- SMS Text Messaging - Students, faculty and staff will receive text messages if they have signed up and provided cell phone contact information.
- Computer Screen Pop-Up and RSS Feed - Alert messages can be delivered to all computers logged onto the university network.
- "Blue Light" telephone public address and sirens - Several of the 150 emergency phone stations are equipped to sound sirens and deliver public address messages.
- Classroom public address - Emergency announcements and call-ins can be heard or made through an intercom system in most classrooms operated through the Information Technology network. This is being implemented over three years and will be available in 40 percent of UNCG's classrooms by mid-semester.
- UNCG information radio station Channel 1640 AM - This channel will broadcast and Webcast updated information during an emergency. Several campus offices have hand-powered radios to receive information during power outages.
- Emergency and adverse weather telephone line - Messages will be recorded on (336) 334-4400 and also on UNCG's main number (336) 334-5000.
- Mass email - The campus community will receive email alerts through their UNCG mailbox. Other systems are available for students in residence halls, and for parents who sign up through the Office of Orientation & Family Programs.
- WebEOC Emergency Operations Center communication system - This system provides direct communication between UNCG and Guilford County Emergency Management operations.
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