2008 Woodie Awards
Trust the Text: security system sends text alerts
By: Austin Hafer
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: News
Austin Hafer
Staff Writer
North Greenville's campus is breaking new ground in the technology used to protect students, faculty and staff.
Part of North Greenville University's continued improvements to make its campus safer, the Immediate Response Information System, known as a "reverse 911," is fully operational, a campus security official said.
The system can transfer enormous amounts of helpful information quicker than ever before in the minutes and seconds when it is most crucial, said Rick Morris, NGU director of security.
"The system is another tool to let information out quickly and accurately. Which, in the past, was not a capability," Morris said.
In the event of an emergency or school-wide change in events (traffic-related, cancelled classes, power outages, etc.), the system will send a message to all cell phones, PDA's and computers.
Similar alert systems utilizing a university's computer network and devices such as cell phones have been installed at universities and colleges around the country.
NGU's system uses a three-level alert notification in order to specify what the concern might be on campus.
Students have the responsibility to stay alert, aware and know what the three levels of the system are.
Another valuable capability is anyone who receives a message can reply to the system with a location and status concerning the emergency.
Also a helpful feature, the system can notify of any weather alerts, power outages and other similar situations to inform students and commuters when classes might be postponed or cancelled.
As with any emergency, all involved need to stay calm and collected.
The worst way of handling any situation, especially an emergency, would be campus-wide chaos.
For more information on "reverse 911" or to add your contact information to the system's list, contact Campus Security.
Staff Writer
North Greenville's campus is breaking new ground in the technology used to protect students, faculty and staff.
Part of North Greenville University's continued improvements to make its campus safer, the Immediate Response Information System, known as a "reverse 911," is fully operational, a campus security official said.
The system can transfer enormous amounts of helpful information quicker than ever before in the minutes and seconds when it is most crucial, said Rick Morris, NGU director of security.
"The system is another tool to let information out quickly and accurately. Which, in the past, was not a capability," Morris said.
In the event of an emergency or school-wide change in events (traffic-related, cancelled classes, power outages, etc.), the system will send a message to all cell phones, PDA's and computers.
Similar alert systems utilizing a university's computer network and devices such as cell phones have been installed at universities and colleges around the country.
NGU's system uses a three-level alert notification in order to specify what the concern might be on campus.
Students have the responsibility to stay alert, aware and know what the three levels of the system are.
Another valuable capability is anyone who receives a message can reply to the system with a location and status concerning the emergency.
Also a helpful feature, the system can notify of any weather alerts, power outages and other similar situations to inform students and commuters when classes might be postponed or cancelled.
As with any emergency, all involved need to stay calm and collected.
The worst way of handling any situation, especially an emergency, would be campus-wide chaos.
For more information on "reverse 911" or to add your contact information to the system's list, contact Campus Security.
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