Colgate has installed a new campus emergency public address system, which is part of the university’s comprehensive emergency notification plan. The new public address system is intended to provide timely warnings to the campus community in the event of a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate and widespread notification. It is important to note that it is highly unlikely the public address system will ever have to be used.
On August 12, 2010, the university will conduct a technical test of the new emergency public address system. Between 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m., you may hear several tones followed by a prerecorded message, which will state that this is only a test and not a real emergency. Colgate also will conduct shorter tests of the system three times a year–in September, February, and July. We will notify the campus community one week in advance of the tests.
The university has instituted other communications tools to inform the campus community quickly and effectively prior to, during, and following an emergency.
These include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Colgate Alert allows the university to send important safety information to students, faculty, and staff via mobile devices and e-mail. Colgate Alert, a product of Rave Wireless, replaces the current e2Campus alert system and is expected to be operational in a few weeks.
You will soon be instructed log on to the new Colgate portal (http://portal.colgate.edu) and click on the Colgate Alert link to update your contact information. It is critical that you keep your contact information in your portal account up to date, as Colgate Alert will utilize that data to reach you in case of emergency. Since Colgate Alert automatically utilizes the contact information listed in your portal account, registration for the system is not necessary.
The e2Campus system is no longer being used, so current registered users of the e2Campus system that receive the automatic account expiration notice via email do not need to extend their service.
• INFORMACAST is a component of the campus VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) telephone system installed in 2009. INFORMACAST allows prerecorded and live voice messages to be distributed to campus VOIP telephones, which include those in staff and faculty offices. While Colgate Alert is the primary tool for notifying the campus community in the event of a major emergency, INFORMACAST provides an additional layer of communication.
In addition, Colgate’s emergency notification plan includes the ability to issue alerts on the university’s homepage.
Should you have questions about the emergency notification plan, do not hesitate to contact Campus Safety at (315) 228-7333.