A.  EmergencyALERT

The University's EmergencyALERT notification system allows quick news and instructions to be sent to all members of the University community in the event of an emergency via their provided contact numbers. The new system augments existing emergency communications tools long used by the university, including web postings, email, voicemail and an automated message line, but will take advantage of new technologies to support a fully integrated and coordinated emergency communications program. University faculty, students and staff may enroll for the new system through e-Campus.

B.  URI web site -- home page and other emergency site notices

The Department of Communications and Marketing and the University Webmaster may post emergency notices to the home page. These notices may be linked to a page with more information about the situation.

The Department of Communications, in coordination with the Department of Safety and Risk Management, developed an emergency web site as a guide. This site is located at uri.edu/emergency.

C.  E-mail notification

The Department of Communications maintains several listserves including URI-Alert, which reaches all available student, faculty and staff email addresses, URINEWS, which reaches about 1,500 faculty and staff, and the URINewsLine, which reaches about 13,500 students at their designated preferred email addresses. These listservs are maintained and configured to permit only official posts from the department. Approved, official emergency and other important notices of campus-wide interest are distributed to faculty, staff and students as needed.

D. Voicemail system

Verbal notices are sent to all faculty/staff and student voicemail boxes.

The department has the ability to code emergency notices so they cannot be deleted until the recipients listen to them. This is essential in the event of a major criminal or public safety crisis. The messages are updated as more information becomes available.

E. Hotlines -- Call-in phone system

Emergency messages are recorded on the University’s main line, 874-1000. In addition, the Department of Communications has established dedicated call-in lines, 874-SNOW and 874-NEWS for storm and other urgent announcements.

These phone lines are updated with information or directions to community members as needed. These phone technologies may be used in the event of public safety emergencies, such as fires, hurricanes or criminal activity.

F. The Media

Media outlets have merged their weather announcement services statewide through the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association's (RIBA) unified cancellation/delay notification system. The University works through RIBA to transmit weather-related class cancellations throughout Rhode Island and bordering communities to reach faculty, staff and students who may not check voicemail, email or the URI home page.

The University submits notices through RIBA's secure automated telephone or web-based system. The data is then available in real-time to all participating radio and television stations as well as on their websites. The TV and radio stations broadcast this information as they have in years past.

RIBA has modified its system to include more than just weather-related closings and they have initiated a program to send alert messages to cell phones, email addresses, or home phone numbers of individuals who "subscribe" on the websites of any of their member stations (i.e. Channels 10, 12, 6 etc.).

The University has an emergency phone network on its Kingston Campus that gives a caller instant access to the campus police department simply by pushing a large red button. The blue light emergency phones are located at 66 locations around campus. The average response time by police is 2 minutes. The University is installing an audio broadcasting capability and flashing red lights to the "blue light" emergency phone system on the Kingston Campus. The red lights would be activated and a message would be broadcast in the event of an immediate threat.