Emergency Notifications and Procedures
The Mount Holyoke College Emergency Notification System allows the College to contact the community in the event of an emergency by sending messages via:
- Text message
- Voice message (mobile or land-line)
When an emergency occurs that requires Mount Holyoke College community attention or action, the emergency notification system will be activated and you will be notified by the methods noted above using the personal information you have provided. The emergency notification system system will continue to try to reach you until you confirm receipt of the message or until it sends you an email message. It is imperative that your contact information is accurate and up to date in order for you to receive emergency notifications.
- Students can update their information via ISIS.
- Faculty and Staff members can update their information through Human Resources.
What the Mount Holyoke College emergency notification system System is:
A method to effectively communicate emergency information to a large number of people at virtually the same time.
What the Mount Holyoke College emergency notification system System is not:
A way to send non-emergency, routine or spam messages
Situations for which the Mount Holyoke College emergency notification system System will be used may include but are not limited to:
- Facility Emergencies
- Potential life-threatening situations on campus
- Extreme Weather Conditions
For more information about alert levels, please visit this page.
Under what conditions would I not receive these messages?
- If you are not a registered student or an active Mount Holyoke College employee at the time of notification
- If the information provided to the College is not up-to-date
- Issues with your mobile device service provider
- Spam filter may have blocked an e-mail from being delivered
Kinds of messages that will be sent:
Not every emergency can be anticipated, however, Mount Holyoke College has developed some emergency messages that can be modified easily for use in a number of situations. This will allow notifications to be sent quickly. The messages are deliberately short (160 characters or less) to accommodate text devices.
How do I Know the Message you Receive is from the Notification System
- Caller-ID enabled phones: The message will come from 1-866-401-1227.
- Email: Message will come from alerts@mtholyoke.edu
- Text Messages: Message will be from Mount Holyoke College
Acknowledging Messages
Some messages send by the emergency notification system require users to acknowledge receipt of the message. All tests will require acknowledgement, and some alerts may not require acknowledgement.
- Voice Mail: Follow the instructions on the message and call the number provided. When asked for a passcode, use 1837.
- Text Messages: Follow the instructions on the message and text back to the number listed.
- Email Messages: Click on the link to confirm receipt.
Contact Information Sources
Contact information used for the emergency notification system is taken directly from information provided by students, faculty and staff in existing College systems. It is the responsibility of students, faculty and staff to make sure this information is accurate and up to date in order to receive notifications.
- Students - ISIS
- Faculty/Staff - Human Resources
Privacy
Contact information collected by the College is for use in the emergency notification system only. The College will not use this Information for any other purpose than emergency notification.
Participant Conduct
This service is designed to alert individual participants when an emergency occurs requiring Mount Holyoke College community attention or action. It is Mount Holyoke College policy that participants:
- DO input their information completely and accurately
- DO update their information when it changes
- DO NOT input false contact information
- DO NOT input others' contact information
Costs of Service
The emergency notification system system is provided free of charge to active Mount Holyoke College staff, faculty and students. There is no cost associated with participation in the service. However, participants are responsible for charges made by service providers related to text messages and mobile phone calls - actual and test messages.
Testing
The emergency notification system will be tested once a semester and over each summer. Additional testing may be conducted as part of drills and exercises, or as necessary.
Violations or More Information
To report any violations of these terms of use or request information about the emergency notification system, contact Paul Ominsky.
