University of Maryland, College Park unveiled a text message alert system this week in response to the Virginia Tech shootings, an event that prompted universities nationwide to re-evaluate emergency preparedness.
The college had been considering using text message alerts for some time, but “in the wake of Virginia Tech, we decided to implement a system immediately,” said Maj. Cathy Atwell, university police spokeswoman.
Students, faculty and staff can sign up for the so-called “UMD Alert” using their cell phones and computers.
In case of a campuswide emergency, an alert will be sent to their cell phones, Blackberries or pagers.
UMD Alert subscribers also can easily cancel the service, Atwell said. Subscribers won?t be charged for alerts unless their individual cell phone plans charge for incoming texts.
The university has no plans to stop using its other emergency procedures, including sending broadcast e-mails and weather alert sirens.
“It is not the only method that we will use to communicate; it is yet another layer or technique,” Atwell said.
University of Maryland, Eastern Shore has used a text message alert system since September 2006. Before the Virginia Tech shootings, nearly 900 students and staff signed up for the service, university spokeswoman Suzanne Waters Street said. University officials have made efforts since then to increase the number of people signed up.
“I think early on we had a concern that our students were not reading their e-mails, that if something occurred wherein we needed to get in touch with them right away, we knew that we would not be able to get in touch with them [without using cell phones],” Street said.
The university did not employ the broadcast alert this weekend when two students were shot and one was stabbed in separate incidents off campus.
“They were isolated incidents, and it was determined there wasn?t an imminent danger,” Street said.
