New campus system alerts students on dangers/closures

This spring, a new universal notification system, powered by e2campus, will be implemented to reinforce security.DustyALRT sends text messages to cellular phones, e-mail accounts, and voice messages to home phones. TAMIU will provide this service at no additional charge to students, faculty, and staff; however, the messages sent to cellular phones may be subject to carrier fees. “Our campus is relatively young and still growing by leaps and bounds. A system that allows us to advise or warn our students, faculty, and staff of possible dangers will ensure their safety,” said TAMIU Police Lieutenant Romy Garza, in light of the Virginia Tech tragedy.Garza recalled when emergencies arose in the past – weather conditions or power outages – that caused campus closures.”We would travel building to building and go from room to room and office suite to office suite advising of the closures and campus evacuations,” she said. “On one occasion the weather department issued a tornado warning and we were instructed to evacuate campus.” Garza is confident the new security system will help the police operate more efficiently.”With…DustyALRT, I expect that the time used to evacuate the system will be cut by 50 percent,” she said.