At noon on Friday, Oct. 4, the Eastern Michigan University Public Safety Communications Center will test its emergency notification system. The Outdoor Public Address System also will be tested, which will activate seven outdoor speakers that can be heard across campus. Staff and students might hear and see notifications on their mobile phones, their computers, and their desktop phones.
That is if they are registered for the center's Eagle Alerts.
During Friday's test, messages will be sent via email, text, Twitter (X), Facebook, desktop alerts, and voice-over internet phones. The texts are sent through Rave Mobile Safety, an emergency communications company.
The university's Eagle Alerts system is designed to notify students, faculty, and staff of any emergency situation, including when the campus is closed due to inclement weather conditions, such as snow days. Individuals can select their preferred format for the notifications -- email, text, etc. -- when registering on the university's Eagle Alerts website page.
Laura Drabczyk, director of risk & emergency management at the university, said 31% of Eastern's students, staff, and faculty are enrolled to receive the notifications. She would like to see more and encouraged everyone in the campus community to register.
It is important that the EMU campus community is registered to receive emergency notifications, she said. The university will activate the Emergency Notification System prior to any other form of communication. University officials also suggested that students and staff check on their registration in the Rave system, and update where necessary.
Students can review or update their current information, or register for Emergency text alerts for the first time by following these steps:
- Go to the Emergency Management Emergency Alert Messaging website
- Click “Sign up for Emergency Text Alerts."
- Log in using your NetID username and password.
- Select "My Account."
- Follow varying prompts to register/update your information, and select the notification methods.
Questions regarding the campus test or emergency notification registration process can be sent to Laura Drabczyk via email at ldrabczy@emich.edu or by phone at 734-487-2270.
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article's headline misstated the name of EMU's Eagle Alerts.
