WWU to Test Western Alert Notification System on June 3

Western Washington University plans to test its emergency notification system known as Western Alert at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3.

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

In conjunction with the Western Alert test drill, Western will be conducting an earthquake drill. The campus community is encouraged to practice how to drop, cover and hold at this time if you are
able, or at some other time on June 3.

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

The Western Alert Test will consist of activation of all elements of Western notification system, including:

• 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 indoor and outdoor).
• Sending text messages to everyone who has registered in Web4U at MyWestern.
• Test emails to students, faculty and staff.
• Posting a Western Alert message to campus digital signage.
• Posting a Western Alert message on the emergency communication webpage, emergency.wwu.edu and university homepage.
• Posting a message on Western’s Twitter feed.

On June 3, 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.

Western’s Safety and Emergency Information website, which can be found as a link at the bottom of Western’s homepage, includes videos on emergency preparedness and an emergency FAQ.

Please feel free to contact Holly Woll-Salkeld at wollsah@wwu.edu or call campus ext. 6511 with any questions.