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Printer-Friendly ModeSVSU should revisit CampusAlert
October 29, 2007 —
The severe weather that hit Mid-Michigan in the middle of the month had me worried for my safety. It's not that I don't trust the safety measures that SVSU has in place, but I'm not sure if the measures are properly executed when needed.
This concern is based off of two methods used for emergency notification on campus, the "seek shelter" siren and the CampusAlert electronic notification system.
When the severe weather hit, I found both measures lacking.
I was in the shower when the siren went off and couldn't hear it until I was out of the bathroom and heard my roommates talking about going downstairs to seek shelter.
I also had my cell phone on the entire time and never received a text message or phone call telling me that I should seek shelter.
When I got the email about signing up for CampusAlert at the beginning of the semester, I signed up for it because I thought it was a good idea.
The fact that I didn't initially hear the siren going off on campus worries me. What if I had been home by myself? What if a tornado was really about to hit? Shouldn't I have been able to hear the siren above running water?
I live toward the edge of the University Village, so it is unlikely that I would hear music from the center of campus. I would expect that the emergency siren would be so loud, as though it was being blared outside my window.
The bizarre thing is that during health and safeties week back in September they tested the siren on campus and I could hear it just fine. I also heard the siren right before school started and a tornado warning was issued.
This is my third year living on campus and the siren had never gone off until this year, and I was able to hear it the first time it was used.
I'm wondering what may have changed between the tests and this current incident. Does pounding rain dampen the sound of the siren? Hopefully this was a one-time thing, but if the siren has to be set off again hopefully, it will be louder.
Now, the lack of phone alert also has me very concerned.
CampusAlert was implemented by SVSU mainly due to the Virginia Tech shooting that took place early this year. This system is supposed to be used to alert students about emergencies on campus and if campus is closed due to inclement weather.
I was under the belief that I would receive an alert if the weather was severe enough that I would have to take cover.
As I said earlier, my phone was on the entire time and it never went off.
I know that the CampusAlert system should work because I received a test text message and a test phone call almost a week before the severe weather hit.
I'm disappointed that a system that most likely cost the University quite a bit of money wasn't used when it should've been.
Even if tornados weren't originally thought of when deciding what situations to notify students of, it should have been used when the situation actually happened.
I am thankful that no tornadoes hit SVSU, but I can't help but wonder what will happen in the future. Will the siren be loud enough next time? Will the CampusAlert system notify students next time? I hope the answer to these questions will be a very loud"yes."