Welcome to alertcarolina.unc.edu
alertcarolina.unc.edu is the go-to source for information in an immediate life-threatening or serious situation involving safety on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus. In an emergency, the University will post safety-related announcements at this site, along with updates and resource information. Remember that it may take time in an emergency for authorities to determine the facts. Do not call 911 or the UNC Department of Public Safety for general information. This site will provide new details as quickly as possible.
alertcarolina.unc.edu supports Alert Carolina, a safety awareness campaign launched in March 2008 to educate students, faculty and staff what to do in an emergency and where to go for safety-related information and resources.
Sirens sound only for an imminent, life-threatening emergency
The sirens are the best way the University has to quickly inform the campus about an imminent, life-threatening emergency. The sirens will sound only for:
- an armed and dangerous person on or near campus,
- a major chemical spill or hazard, or
- a tornado sighting.
If the sirens are activated, be prepared to go inside or take cover immediately. Close windows and doors. Stay until further notice. The sirens also broadcast short pre-recorded voice messages. When the threat is over, the sirens will sound again with a different tone to announce along with the voice message: "All clear. Resume normal activities." Click here for an audio sample of the emergency tone. Click here to hear "all clear" tone.
The University also sounds the sirens for testing, which is conducted at least once each fall and spring semester. The sirens are located at Hinton James Residence Hall off Manning Drive; the Gary R. Tomkins Chilled Water Operations Center behind the Dogwood Parking Deck; Winston Residence Hall at the corner of Raleigh Street and South Road; near Hill Hall behind University Methodist Church; and next to University buildings and support facilities near the Giles Horney Building off Martin Luther King Boulevard. The sirens are designed to be heard by people who are outside - not in buildings or vehicles.
Text messages for sirens
When the sirens sound - or during a test - the University also automatically sends a text message to the cell phone numbers registered by students, faculty and staff in the online campus directory. You may keep the number private. To register, click the bar above, "Register Your Cell Phone." A text message will always direct you to this page.
Because the text messages are being sent simultaneously to more than 24,000 currently registered phone numbers, it may take anywhere from five minutes to 20 minutes after the "send" button is activated for you to receive the message. As soon as you hear the sirens, it is critical that you go inside and take shelter immediately. Do not delay taking action even if you have not received a text message. Following a siren activation or a test, the University also sends an "all clear" text message.
Communications During Non-Siren Situations
In February 2009, the University's Emergency Warning Committee adopted procedures for communicating with the campus community when the Department of Public Safety determines that a situation is serious, but does not warrant sounding the sirens. If that non-siren scenario does endanger campus safety - examples include a bomb threat, bomb, explosion, major fire, major power outage, hostage/barricaded person, riot, other civil disorder, or a dangerous weather condition - and cannot be quickly and easily contained and mitigated, then the Emergency Warning Committee will:
- Quickly announce an alert status on this site and the University's homepage. This site will be updated as soon as more information is available.
- Quickly determine if a text message is warranted. The University will send a text message in cases where:
- there is risk of serious injury to students, faculty, or staff.
- there is opportunity to mitigate that risk by having students, faculty, and staff take action such as evacuate buildings or areas of campus, avoid buildings or areas of campus, shelter in place, and
- communication to those at risk cannot be fully accomplished by direct, localized means, such as voice/bullhorn/fire alarm/public address systems in buildings such as the libraries.
Text messages are limited to 140 characters, so recipients will always be directed to this site for more information. Currently, more than 24,000 cell phone numbers are registered to receive text messages. Delivery of a text message currently takes 10 minutes to 20 minutes after the "send" button is clicked. Text messages will only supplement other direct, localized means of communication, such as a voice/bullhorn/fire alarm/public address system message. Care will be taken to use text messages appropriately since the overuse of this capability will diminish the effectiveness.
The University may also communicate in an emergency using means including campus-wide e-mail and voice mail (only for campus land lines), the Adverse Weather and Emergency Phone Line, 843-1234, for recorded information, and the University Access Channel (Chapel Hill Time Warner Cable Channel 4) along with other campus television channels.
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