Talking Stick - March/April 2009 - (Page 50) Conversations What’s Your Emergency Notification Plan? Members discuss whether or not institutions have their notification plans in place and how they can keep both staff and their plans current with updated safety training and emergency information. Participating in this conversation are Aaron Lucier, associate director of operations at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina; Tom Ellett, associate vice president of student affairs at New York University; Doug Hallenbeck, director of housing at Clemson University in South Carolina; Conal Carr, assistant director of housing at Pennsylvania State University in University Park; and Craig Allen, director of residential services at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. aaron luCier east carolina university tom ellett new york university Doug HallenbeCk cleMson university Conal Carr Pennsylvania state university Craig allen texas christian university Aaron Lucier: I feel that most or all institutions have their notification plans in place at this time, but these systems are tested in bits and parts. We test individual systems generally, because cost and other factors are related to system-wide testing. The issue is often how these systems work or don’t work in reaching students as a whole. Currently, we use a system that focuses on sending simple messages in as broad a distribution as possible, leading or pointing to locations and sources that can provide more information. We use text messages, computer pop-ups, video boards – and, soon, audio broadcasts – inside and outside of buildings, that point to e-mails, Web sites, and richer information sources. 50 Talking STick What we have learned from our previous plans is that you need to deliver consistent messages in multiple ways to get an alert out. One solution will not reach all students, faculty, and staff, and it is hard to get a message to someone that chooses not to listen to one. Tom Ellett: Most institutions probably do not have their plans in place, as sometimes we are unaware of what the next crisis will be until it happens. Who would have truly felt that a major terrorist attack in the heart of New York City would have occurred in 2001? Overall, I am sure everyone has a series of templates that can be deployed, but the depth of the plan probably is only created after an institution has a crisis they didn’t predict would occur.
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