Vanderbilt is launching a program to communicate vital information to members of the university community who reside off campus in the event a catastrophic incident should impact the area.
Through the Vanderbilt Disaster Outreach Program, the university will send notifications to faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, graduate and professional students, and undergraduates who live off campus in the aftermath of a major event—such as a tornado, flooding or an attack—to connect them with a host of recovery resources.
“The safety and well-being of our university community is of paramount importance, especially in times of disaster,” Vice Chancellor for Administration Eric Kopstain said. “Through this outreach program, we aim to stay connected with community members and offer critical assistance to aid in their recovery. It’s a significant aspect of our emergency preparedness and how we show care for our community.”
Individuals will receive notifications at their Vanderbilt email address, as well as through SMS text if they opt in to this delivery method. To view or update your delivery options, visit the AlertVU website and follow the instructions. Your address in YES (for students) or Oracle (for employees) will be used to determine whether you are living in an area affected by an incident and may receive notifications. Visit the FAQs for instructions on how to update your address.
The Vanderbilt Disaster Outreach Program is different than AlertVU, the university’s mass emergency notification system. AlertVU is designed to alert students, faculty and staff if an emergency poses an imminent, ongoing threat or danger to the immediate campus community.
Disaster outreach notifications will be distributed up to 48 hours after a natural or human-made disaster has occurred. These targeted notifications are intended to determine whether Vanderbilt community members have experienced a disaster, and if so, connect them with resources if they need assistance.
Notifications will be sent when disasters affect Vanderbilt-affiliated residents of Middle Tennessee and the surrounding region, including Davidson County and surrounding counties, as well as Southern Kentucky, Northern Alabama, Northwest Georgia and Northeast Mississippi.
For more information, visit the Vanderbilt Disaster Outreach Program website, or contact the Office of Emergency Management at publicsafetyinfo@vanderbilt.edu.