SUNY Oswego will conduct a simultaneous test of its emergency messaging systems Wednesday, Oct. 17.

At about 10:10 a.m., the college will send messages via the outdoor emergency notification system, NY-Alert, the college website’s home page and voice mail on campus phones.

The college’s digital signage units are scheduled for upgrades Oct. 16 and 17, and only those units that have been successfully upgraded will be included in the test.

The test will not involve radio, television and other mass media, as a real emergency likely would.

The timing between classes is intended to minimize disruption while still testing during a fully active period on campus. Because thousands of email, text and voice messages are sent, the transmission process takes more than a few minutes. Faculty teaching 10:20 a.m. classes may wish to ask students to silence their cell phones.

The college home page, outdoor notification system and digital signage systems will reach anyone within their range, whereas the voice mail will go only to campus phones with that service, and the NY-Alert messages will go only to those who have signed up for its phone, text and/or email messages.

To learn how to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the NY-Alert emergency messaging service, visit www.oswego.edu/newyorkalert.

SUNY Oswego tests its emergency messaging systems each semester. Higher Education Opportunity Act guidelines require institutions to test their emergency notification systems at least once a year.

(Posted: Oct 08, 2012)

Tags: suny oswego, higher education opportunity act, emergency notification test, emergency messaging