Alert system can help save lives

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January 27, 2010

Anonymous The Union-Recorder Wed Jan 27, 2010, 08:00 AM EST

The notice that awakened Georgia College & State University students, faculty and staff members early Friday morning alerting them of possible danger following a 911 call reported a gunman in a campus parking lot seems to have been only a threat, but the GCSU emergency plan worked as it should to notify campus of the potential danger.

In a matter of minutes, students and staff were notified via text message, phone calls and e-mails alerting them to remain inside behind locked doors. Less than an hour later, at 5:36 a.m., a second alert notified them that police had made an arrest, signaling the all-clear for campus to resume normal activities.

Fortunately, no one was injured in Friday’s incident, and no gun has been reportedly found. A campus visitor has been charged in what appears to be an isolated incident, and all remained calm in the hours since.

Though Friday’s incident has proven thus far to be only a threat, it is reassuring to know that the campus alert system worked as it should, helping to ensure the safety of students and staff.

“Our emergency alert system worked smoothly to protect our students and campus while officers located the reported gunman and arrested him,” said GCSU Assistant Vice President for Public Safety Dave Groseclose following Friday’s events.

The college contracted with the Connect ED emergency system in 2007, along with a number of colleges and universities nationwide in the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy in which a gunman opened fire on campus, killing 33 students and faculty members and wounding several others before turning the gun on himself. The incident is one of the deadliest peacetime shooting by a single gunman in the nation’s history. Sadly, these types of alert systems were not as common on college and university campuses three years ago, but if any type of substantial positive can be generated from such a tragic course of events, it may be these types of campus alert systems.

But while 90 percent of the contact listings in the Georgia College system were alerted last week, unfortunately only about 60 percent of students, faculty and staff are registered to receive the alerts — alerts that could ensure safety and save lives.

Soon, the college will take steps to advance the system even further, adding a broadcast alarm that should be active within the coming months to provide audible alerts on campus.

Faculty members and students are encouraged to register for these effective alerts. Registering for Connect-ED is relatively simple and it can help ensure the safety of everyone on campus.

Last week’s incident was fortunately an isolated matter that resulted in no one getting injured. More than 4,000 students and faculty received the alert, and we certainly hope following last week’s events, more will register to become a part of this import system that could help save lives.

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