UNC News Release
For immediate use: Friday, Feb. 20, 2009
University to test emergency sirens Feb. 24
CHAPEL HILL - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will test its emergency sirens on Tuesday, Feb. 24, between noon and 1 p.m. as part of Alert Carolina, a safety awareness campaign.
Anyone outside on or near campus, including downtown Chapel Hill, is likely to hear the sirens during the test, which is designed to remind students, faculty and staff what to do in an emergency. No action is needed. The sirens will sound an alert tone in conjunction with a brief pre-recorded public address message. When testing is complete, a different siren tone and voice message will signal "All clear. Resume normal activities." Samples of the alert and "all clear" tones are available at alertcarolina.unc.edu.
The sirens are used only for an imminent, life-threatening emergency:
- an armed and dangerous person on or near campus,
- a major chemical spill or hazard, or
- a tornado sighting.
If the sirens sound, go inside or take cover immediately. Close windows and doors. Stay inside until further notice. The sirens also broadcast short pre-recorded voice messages with instructions. When the threat is over, the sirens sound again with a different tone to announce along with the voice message: "All clear. Resume normal activities."
"The sirens are the best way we have to quickly inform our campus about a serious, life-threatening situation that requires immediate action," said Jeff McCracken, the University's police chief and public safety director. "It's important for students, faculty and staff to learn what to do if they hear the sirens sound."
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.
During next week's test, the University will also send a test text message to the nearly 20,000 cell phone numbers registered by students, faculty and staff in the online campus directory. Because the text messages are being sent simultaneously, it may take anywhere from five minutes to 20 minutes after the "send" button is activated for people to receive the text message. Following a siren activation or a test, the University also sends an "all clear" text message.
The University may also communicate about an emergency using means including campus-wide e-mail and voice mail (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.
The University is reviewing additional ways to use text messages to communicate about situations that are serious, but do not warrant sounding the sirens. Any text messages will direct people to alertcarolina.unc.edu for updates.
The sirens were last tested in September. The University plans to continue regular testing in the future as part of Alert Carolina, launched in March 2008. The campaign aims to educate the campus community about what to do in an emergency and where to go for safety-related information and resources.
Alert Carolina Web site: http://alertcarolina.unc.edu
Contact: News Services staff, (919) 962-2091
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