ASU to test campuswide

siren system on June 17
By ASU News Service

Appalachian State University will conduct a test of its new campuswide siren system Wednesday, June 17, at 2 p.m.

The sirens located atop Farthing Auditorium and Sanford Hall, in Appalachian Panhellenic Hall and on poles at Appalachian Heights apartments and the State Farm intramural fields will emit audible tones and a verbal message in the event of a campus emergency.

Installation of the emergency warning sirens is part of the university’s ongoing activities related to campus safety.

In May, Appalachian conducted a full-scale emergency drill involving on- and off-campus agencies. Faculty, staff and students can receive emergency messages on their cell phone through the AppState ALERT emergency messaging system, for which they must register on the university’s emergency Web site. In addition, they receive crime alerts by campus e-mail.

Cindy Wallace, vice chancellor for student development and co-chair of the Campus Safety Committee, said, “The safety council has had an incredibly productive year in its focus on every aspect of safety for our Appalachian community.

“The siren system is one of those key elements that will give us a new means of informing our community should an emergency on our campus require its use.”

Wallace said it is important for a campus to have a variety ways to communicate information during an emergency should any one method fail.

“Appalachian uses multiple methods to notify and communicate emergency information to the campus community,” said university Police Chief Gunther Doerr. “The AppState-ALERT Outdoor Siren Warning System is designed to provide campus students, staff, faculty and visitors with an audible notification of an emergency event that affects our campus.”

Other than during tests that will be conducted each semester, the outdoor siren warning system will be activated only during a high-risk, life-threatening emergency, such as an active shooter on or near campus or a major hazardous material spill on or near campus.

All tests of the system will be publicized beforehand to campus and the town of Boone.