Skip to main content

Emergency System To Be Tested July 25

Outdoor sirens, other DukeALERT notification tools will be activated

The DukeALERT emergency notification system will be tested at 10 a.m. Oct. 24.
The DukeALERT emergency notification system will be tested at 10 a.m. July 25.

As part of its emergency preparedness plans, Duke will test the DukeALERT mass notification system on Wednesday, July 25.

Beginning at 10 a.m., outdoor warning sirens will sound and the emergency DukeALERT website will be activated. Shortly afterward, all faculty, students and staff will receive a test email. In addition, a text message will be sent to the cell phones of all students and those staff who have registered to receive the service.

Read More

The DukeALERT system will send faculty, staff and students short text messages in the event of a campus emergency. Staff and faculty are encouraged to register for the service to receive emergency messages on a mobile number. All students must enter a mobile phone number in their profile in the ACES system when they register. The text message service is offered at no charge, but standard text messaging rates may apply.

Since July 25 is a functional test of the system, Duke community members do not need to seek shelter or evacuate. Instead, they should take time to understand how they will be notified in the event of a life-threatening emergency like a tornado sighting or active shooter on campus.

A test is conducted during the spring and fall semesters and during the summer, when the audience is significantly different with various camps and programs on campus.

As part of the test, Duke community members are encouraged to respond to an online survey to assess the effectiveness of various DukeALERT communication methods. The survey will be posted on the DukeALERT website once the test begins.

Survey results will help determine how people were notified, methods that work best for different groups and whether staff members know their severe weather/emergency conditions service category. The results will also help identify areas for improvement.