University of Louisville Emergency Comunications Systems Worked During Campus Crisis

Below I made reference to a hostage situation at the University of Louisville yesterday. It's interesting to note that the university issued alerts via e-mail, text messages, and a system that enables written and audio warnings to be sent to office and dorm phones. U of L also used its web site to warn those on campus. (Take note, Claudia Sanders, as discussed two items below.) Apparently, it all worked beautifully. (http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803280467)

A university police officer arrived at Student Health Services at 8:39 a.m. on March 27 and made three phone calls to the dispatcher indicating a gun was involved. By 8:47, the center was evacuated. At 9:04, U of L began issuing alerts through multiple media: "There is a student armed with a weapon at Student Health Services on Belknap Campus. Please avoid the area. This is not a test." At 9:15, an all-clear message was sent.

While such systems might one day save lives, we can't fool ourselves into thinking that everyone who needs to know will receive timely and accurate information. A problem with text messages is that they go first to the carriers who may hold them for a while before forwarding them. The news article features one student who received the text warning at 9:14, one minute before the all-clear went out. Another student who was in his dorm room said he received a text message, e-mail, and phone call all at once.

No system is perfect. But using redundant communications methods seems to have worked very well in this instance.

Something else that's working very well these days is the U of L basketball team. Go Cards!