Vanderbilt University has added an emergency alert text messaging service to help get information to students, faculty and staff during crisis situations.
Messages were sent to the Vanderbilt community on Friday with instructions on how to sign up for the service, which will be used only to deliver urgent security information in the event of a campus emergency.
The service is free to all in the Vanderbilt community, and will be delivered through the already existing text-messaging service at Vanderbilt, MobileVU. Vanderbilt community members must opt-in to receive emergency text messages.
“The recent tragedy at Virginia Tech has highlighted the importance of rapid and accurate communications during emergency situations, and particularly the value of cell phone text messaging to relay important information,” said Michael Schoenfield, vice chancellor for public affairs at Vanderbilt.
“With 330 acres, 233 buildings and as many as 40,000 people on campus during a busy work day, reaching every individual presents a challenge. Emergency text messaging through MobileVU is an important addition to the existing communications channels, which include www.vanderbilt.edu, telephone, e-mail, broadcast voice mail, warning sirens, building contacts and loudspeakers.”
Learn more about campus safety.
Media contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
Jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu