What is UNL Alert?
UNL Alert sends emergency messages to devices and addresses you designate: cell phones (text and voice), landline phones, PDAs, two-way radios, and e-mail addresses.
It also has a desktop application that can be loaded on to personal computers to scroll emergency messages across your computer's screen.
Why does UNL Alert exist?
Redundant, overlapping and consistent communication is an important component of any emergency plan. UNL Alert is designed to help facilitate early notification during emergencies. Sending the same messages using multiple modes and methods helps assure that those affected have access to warning messages and alerts to help keep them safe.
When will UNL Alert be activated?
UNL Police will determine when UNL Alert will send emergency notices.
What will happen when UNL Police issue a notice?
UNL Alert will begin sending thousands of messages and phone calls simultaneously to individuals' devices, beginning with ones that were individually prioritized. Messages will be personalized and may ask recipients to confirm that they were received. The system continues to contact personal devices until the recipient answers or acknowledges receipt. On the UNL Alert desktop application, the program sounds an alert beep and then repeatedly scrolls the emergency message across your screen. After a notice is displayed you may cancel the current display. You will continue to receive new or updated notices.
What should you do when an alert notice arrives?
Take the appropriate actions based on the notice. If it asks you to confirm receipt of the message, please do so. The message will be coming from phone number 472-9111, and it would be useful to enter this phone number into your contacts list if you can.
How many contacts has UNL Alert made?
The most recent UNL Alert event was a tornado warning issued June 11, with tornadoes sighted in the vicinity of campus.
UNL Alert made 16,742 contacts.
It reached:
- 5,138 phone call 'live answers'
- 2,602 answering machines
- 5,697 e-mails
- 3,251 text messages
- 13 pages
- 41 faxes
The system made 95 percent of its phone calls successfully.
UNL Alert Desktop Tool
How does the UNL Alert desktop tool work?
When the UNL Alert computer desktop tool is installed an icon is present in the system tray or dock when the application is running. UNL Alert regularly checks the emergency servers and opens a display window with audio when a notice is issued.
How do you obtain and install the UNL Alert desktop tool?
UNL Alert desktop tool is installed like any standard application. For details see the install page for Windows or the install page for Macintosh.
How do you uninstall the tool if you no longer want it?
UNL Alert desktop tool is a normal application and can be removed through the standard method for your operating system. If you have problems please contact the IS Helpdesk.
Who should install the UNL Alert desktop tool?
Anyone who wants to receive alert notices from UNL Police in an emergency. It is a good idea for at least one member of every work unit to install this tool. This tool is meant to complement other notification methods.
What computers will the UNL Alert desktop tool work with?
UNL Alert as been developed for current versions of both Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh operating systems.
