Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety will issue the sixth test of the Orange Alert emergency notification system today at 9:30 a.m., said Mike Kearns, manager of technology and security services at DPS.

All students and faculty who have SU e-mail addresses will receive a message reading ‘Orange Alert Test.’ Those who have registered their cell phones will receive both a call and text message. Landlines will be tested as well, Kearns said.

DPS doesn’t expect any problems with the system today. During the first test of Orange Alert in 2007, the system sending the alert received too much information and failed to send all the messages properly, Kearns said.

Chief Tony Callisto said DPS has made one change to the system this time. In the past, many faculty and staff would list their emergency number at a common phone number in an office. When the test would be issued, the office’s phone would keep ringing. Now when the test is conducted, the phone should only ring once.

Students, faculty and staff must register their information on MySlice in order to receive notification from Orange Alert.

In the past, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry said they didn’t receive the alert when SU students did. Callisto said those students probably didn’t sign up correctly. Tests help not only to make sure the system works but also to remind students about Orange Alert.

‘When some folks don’t get the message, it sparks them to call us and learn how to register,’ Callisto said.

DPS has used Orange Alert once in a real situation since it was installed on campus in 2007. A gang-related shooting occurred on the 900 block of Madison Avenue last November, Callisto said. He issued the alert system as soon as he learned of the incident.

adbrow03@syr.edu

Published on April 8, 2009 at 12:00 pm