WWU to Test Western Alert Notification System, Hold Campus Lockdown Drill Oct. 19

Western Washington University plans to test its emergency notification system known as Western Alert at 9:35 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19 and also conduct a campus lockdown drill.

Western Alert is a group of ways to reach students, faculty and staff with important safety information.

Lockdown Drill: In conjunction with the test of the Western Alert system, a voluntary all-campus lockdown drill will take place at the same time – 9:35 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19. An orientation video explaining how to prepare for and what to do during the drill is available at the University Police website.

The WWU Central Health and Safety Committee has recommended that three safety drills be performed each academic year: lockdown, earthquake and fire. 

Western Alert test: The following Western Alert elements will be tested on Oct. 19:

• Desktop notification on installed computers throughout campus, including offices, classrooms and computer labs where a test message will be broadcast.  Users need to only click on the green “Acknowledge” button to make the test message disappear.
• Test voice messages over the campus fire alarm system (building enunciation).
• Sending text messages to everyone who has registered in Web4U at MyWestern.
• Test emails to students, faculty and staff.
• Posting a Western Alert message on the emergency communication webpage, emergency.wwu.edu and university homepage.
• Posting a message on Western’s Facebook page and Twitter feed.

On Oct. 19, a test voice message (building enunciation) will be repeated several times in buildings as well as some outside speakers at: the university tennis courts, the south campus oval at the Communications Facility, and at the Old Main lawn.  Amber fire alarm strobes also will flash in the main corridors of academic buildings and bathrooms.

A critical element of Western Alert, a text message is one of the most reliable ways to quickly provide emergency information.  Even if users do not regularly text on their cell phones, most phones are capable of receiving text information.  Western students, faculty and staff who have not yet registered to receive Western Alerts via text message are asked to update their personal information via the Web4U application.  Employees may also call the Human Resources Department at 650-3774 for assistance in signing up.

To date, 97 percent of WWU students, 75 percent of staff and 71 percent of faculty members have provided their cell phone numbers to Web4U to receive emergency text messages. 

For more information, visit Western’s Safety and Emergency Information webpage.

If you have any questions about the drill, you may reach Holly Woll-Salkeld with Western’s Emergency Management at 360-650-3625.

Students who have concerns or feel anxious after the drill may contact Western’s Counseling Center, 360-650-3164. Employees may contact the Employee Assistance Program at 877-313-4455.

If you would like a University Police Officer to speak with your department about violence prevention, please email university.police@wwu.edu or call 360-650-3555.