UConn Alert, the emergency notification system at the University of Connecticut, will be undergoing a start-of-the-year test at approximately noon on Tuesday Sept. 9. All campuses and the UConn Health system will be participating in the system test.
“In the event of an emergency that poses an immediate threat to one of our campus communities, the UConn Alert system will be activated,” the UConn Emergency Management webpage states. “The system… may also be utilized to notify the UConn community of impacts to business operations, including weather closings and significant class schedule alterations.”
When a UConn Alert notification is sent, email and telephone messages will be sent to all students, faculty and staff, with posts appearing on alert.uconn.edu and the university’s social media channels. Audible tones from outdoor sirens located on the main campus will also be included in the test.
Students should verify that these messages were received during the test and update their information if needed, Emergency Management notices said.
“All official UConn email addresses are auto-enrolled into the system,” the program’s sign-up guide states. “Students’ email addresses and phone numbers are pulled from the Student Administration System. Each semester, students must update their emergency contact information prior to registering for classes.”
While the program was originally limited to students, faculty and staff, UConn Alert is now available to parents and visitors. Outside phone numbers can text “UCONNALERT” to 888-777 to receive text notifications.
Two special text channels, “UCONNGAMEDAY” and “UCONNGAMPEL,” also allow fans to receive alerts in conjunction with athletic contests at Rentschler Field in East Hartford and Gampel Pavilion, respectively.
“There is no charge for the [text notification] service, but your mobile provider’s messaging and data rates may apply,” per the program’s frequently asked questions page.
Gene Labtone, associate vice president for university safety, and Michael Kirk, interim vice president for university communications, sent out the announcement of this year’s system test.
“Thank you for your cooperation during the exercise and your support of public safety initiatives at UConn,” said Labtone.
The UConn Alert system was established in 2007 as an extension of the university’s “Code Blue Alert” systems for on-campus hardline phones and kiosks.
The State of Connecticut, local governments and other institutions also have emergency notification programs in conjunction with the national-level alerts which are rebroadcast. Weather forecasts and vital information is available through the National Weather Service’s New York and Boston stations, in addition to the forecasts provided by local radio and television stations.