Annual Test of BU Emergency Alert System Is Today
There will be a test of the BU Emergency Alert System today, Friday, November 4, at approximately 2:10 pm. Photo by ViewApart/iStock
Annual Test of BU Emergency Alert System Is Today
System provides crucial warnings when there’s a crisis or school closing
If you have a BU email address, expect to hear from the BU Emergency Alert System today, Friday, November 4. The BU Alert, which sends information during emergencies to the BU community via email, text message, landline, or push notification via the Everbridge app, will be conducting its annual federally mandated test of the system at approximately 2:10 pm. The aim of the test is to ensure that the system is working properly. The test message will also be posted on the BU homepage, on BU Today, and on the BU Emergency Management website, as well as on Twitter at @BUPolice.
The Emergency Alert System is designed to provide rapid and reliable mass communication to students, staff, and faculty in the event of a crisis, such as a crime incident, or a time-sensitive situation, such as a weather-related closing.
Students wishing to update their information or to add a cell phone number can do so by going to the Student Link.
Faculty and staff who want to add a cell phone number can do so by logging on to BU Works, clicking first on the “Employee Self-Service” tab, then selecting “Personal Information” to update “BU Alert Information.”
“The BU Alert system enables us to notify the BU community with important safety information in a timely manner,” says Rene Fielding, director of Emergency Management. “It is essential that our community members update their contact information so they receive our notifications and that they follow the guidance provided.”
BU instituted the alert system in 2008 to expedite announcements pertaining to crimes, bad weather, and other instances of possible disruptions to University operations. The University rolled out a new BU Alert last May, complete with a new app that allows for quicker and more accessible communications to students, faculty, and staff. People are urged to read the message when it is received, to alert other people, and to carefully follow the instructions given with the message.
“During an emergency situation, seconds count,” Fielding says. “Our main objective is to be able to notify the BU community with information as soon as we have it, to ensure everyone’s safety, and to keep them informed of what is occurring.”
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