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Safety and Security
MAC ALERT EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM INFORMATION AND FAQ’s This
system will be used by the Safety and Security Department only in the
most
extreme cases involving the safety of the college community. The Macalester Emergency
Notification System
“Mac Alert” is capable of sending text messages to:
This
is voluntary and there is no cost to sign up for the new system. Those
who do
not register a mobile number may choose to receive emergency alerts via
e-mail. Depending on your mobile phone plan, you may be charged for the text message that is sent to you. To test your mobile phone to see if it will work in the system click here and follow the directions. To register your Mobile phone number
or email address: (Note have your phone "on".
College officials will plan
and conduct a mobile-phone text and email-message test each semester.
Only
those who have registered a mobile phone number and email address with
MAC
ALERT will receive the test message.
Announcement of the test date will be done by email, a
notice in the
Bulletin, and in 1600grand. Those
signing up their mobile phone number for the “Mac
Alert” Emergency Notification
System will need to provide both their mobile phone number and the
provider of
their mobile phone service, such as Verizon or Sprint. Mobile
phone numbers collected for the Emergency Notification System are
treated as
confidential information and will not be released to others outside of
Macalester under any circumstances. When
Macalester decides to send an emergency message via mobile phones, the
message
is first sent to the various mobile-phone providers. The providers, in
turn,
send the messages to the persons who have registered.
The college cannot control the speed at which
these messages will be relayed as the providers themselves will be
sending the
text messages. Some
text messages may be
dropped due to high traffic load, or if the message is perceived as
being spam. By
implementing this new system we hope to broadcast important safety
information
in a quick and efficient manner. However
because of the potential problems that may arise, Macalester will
provide
various alternative sources of information.
Macalester is planning on using a variety of methods. These may include using
text message, e-mail,
and voice mail, in person voice announcements, web site and Bulletin
Flash … to
issue an emergency alert. Parents,
alumni and friends cannot sign up to receive the emergency messages. Frequently
asked questions
regarding registration: Who
can sign up for the Macalester Emergency Notification System, provided
by a
program called “Mac Alert?” The
service is available to all faculty, staff and students of the
Macalester
community. Is
participation in the Emergency Notification System mandatory? Participation
in the mobile-phone portion of the Emergency Notification System is not
mandatory; however, all faculty, staff and students who have mobile
phones are
encouraged to register. The mobile-phone notification is one of several
ways in
which Macalester may contact the community in the event of an
emergency. Other
methods of communication include email, voice mail, web site alerts and
megaphone-style announcements and public-address speakers. Will
I be charged on my phone bill for text message alerts? There
is no charge for including your mobile-phone number in the Emergency
Notification System. Your mobile-phone provider may, however, charge a
fee for
delivery of messages based on your current calling plan. What
if my mobile phone is not set up to receive text messages? If
your mobile phone is not set up to receive text messages, then you
cannot
participate in the text-message notification. Is there a way to test my pnone to see if it will work in the system? Yes, click on test my phone link and follow the directions. Test My PhoneCan
I register more than one mobile phone? Currently,
the system is set up to register one mobile-phone number. What
if I don’t have a mobile phone? The
mobile-phone notification system is one of several ways in which
Macalester may
contact the community in the event of an emergency. Other methods of
communication include e-mail, voice mail, web site alerts, and
megaphone-style,
public-address speakers. What
if my mobile-phone number changes? If
you change your mobile phone number after you have registered, return
to the
Mac Alert Emergency Notification System Web site and update your
mobile-phone
information. What
if my mobile-phone provider changes? If
you change your mobile-phone provider after you have registered, return
to the
“Mac Alert” Emergency Notification System Web site
and update your mobile-phone
information. What
if my mobile-phone provider is not listed as an option on the
registration
page? Certain
providers are not compatible to receive text messages from an e-mail
account.
As such, you would not be able to register with Macalester’s
text-message alert
service. What
will the Emergency Notification System alerts tell me? The
alerts will be very brief. They will notify you of an emergency
situation
affecting the Macalester community and direct you where to get further
information. Who
is in charge of sending the alerts from Macalester? Only
the college’s Safety and Security Department has the
capability of sending
emergency notification messages to the Macalester community. Other questions? Last updated February 6, 2008 | |
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