Emergency Notification System

Policy 302.7

Introduction

1.1 Appalachian State University (“University” or “Appalachian”) has an Emergency Notification System (“ENS”) with multi-channel capabilities. Appalachian’s ENS is intended to rapidly disseminate emergency information on an incident, and provide instructions to the Appalachian campus population in Boone, North Carolina. This policy outlines the emergency notification process and organization.

1.2 This policy does not address Clery Act timely warning notifications.

1.3 The purpose of this policy is to establish the process for activating the Appalachian ENS protocols when a threat or emergency situation is reported to the University Police Department ( “PD”) or to another Responsible University Authority operating within their direct area of responsibility and directly involved with the emergency response for a safety or security incident at Appalachian. Authorizing decision making at the operational response level enables Appalachian to disseminate rapid and responsible emergency information to the campus population.

Scope

2.1 This policy applies to all staff identified as a Responsible University Authority for the purposes of emergency notification and all staff responsible for notification or support of the emergency notification system.

Definitions

AppState-ALERT

the common title of Appalachian State University’s emergency notification system.

Emergency Notification

procedures to notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or staff occurring on the campus.

Desktop Alerts

automated messages that override the computer user’s screen with an emergency message that requires acknowledgement. Message is only delivered to university-owned computers (not Macs) that are logged in to the campus network.

Outdoor Warning Sirens

outdoor system which utilizes a series of multiple sirens that are capable of producing audible signals to warn persons of a threat while outdoors.

Responsible University Authority

University officials who are directly involved with emergency response for safety‐and‐security incidents at the University . A Responsible University Authority is limited to issuing an alert in response to an incident or event within that official’s direct area of responsibility (as defined by agency/office mission and/or position description).

Short Message Service (“SMS”)

a service that allows for short text messages to be sent from one cell phone to another cell phone or from the web to a cell phone.