If there is ever a campus emergency, Ball State University students and faculty will receive alerts in as early as 8.5 minutes and as late as 24 minutes, according to a test conducted by University Communications on Tuesday.
Tony Proudfoot, associate vice president for Marketing and Communications, said Tuesday's test is the most comprehensive measure of the university's Web site, text, e-mail and voice mail emergency response time. The service began a year ago, he said.
Ball State tests its notification system once in each of the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters, Proudfoot said.
The goal of testing is to make emergency protocol second nature to the emergency communication team, which is comprised of University Communications and University Computing Services staff.
At the team's debriefing, Proudfoot said, he noticed an improvement in the system and there were no major problems.
"I think confidence is high with our staff," he said. "Individuals feel like they know what they are supposed to do, that their roles are clear and that they would know exactly what they have to do if there was a crisis. That confidence wasn't the same the last two times we did this."
Within the first hour after the test, Proudfoot said the service received 261 new text message alert subscribers, bringing the total number of subscribers to 6,622.
"[The test] is a reminder to individuals that, unfortunately, there might be a time they need to use this," Proudfoot said.
Elizabeth Burdette, a sophomore genetics and criminal justice double major, said she signed up for text message alerts because she thought it was the safe thing to do.
"You always have your cell phone with you, so it's a nice thing to have in case there is an emergency," Burdette said.
Jamie Weems, a freshman nursing major, said she also signed up for text message alerts for safety, but a 24-minute response time is too long.
Immediacy is key in an emergency, and communication would be most effective with a response time of five minutes or less, she said.
"Anything could happen in 24 minutes," Weems said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
