VCU news

By Jake Burns
VCU Police

Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health will conduct a full test of their emergency alert system and lockdown capabilities at noon on Wednesday, Feb 5. This will include activation of several safety mechanisms:

• Outdoor sirens on the Monroe Park Campus, MCV Campus and at VCU Police Headquarters (224 E. Broad St.).
• Alertus boxes located inside residence halls, classrooms and high-volume areas in academic buildings.
• Lockdown of select academic buildings and VCU Medical Center downtown.

VCU and VCU Health Emergency Management defines a lockdown as restricting access to specific areas/facilities in the interest of public safety to keep external threats out. Such instances may include police or criminal activity near a VCU facility that could pose a threat to people or property.

At noon on Feb. 5, the following buildings will be placed on lockdown for approximately two minutes as a part of this test:

• Monroe Park Campus: Cabell Library, Shafer Court Dining Center, VCU Academic Learning Commons and Hibbs Hall.
• MCV Campus: VCU Medical Center downtown, College of Health Professions and McGlothlin Medical Education Center.

Public-facing entryway doors and certain interior doors on an electronic locking system will automatically lock to prevent entry. Community members will be able to exit facilities at any time during a lockdown.

While VCU Health’s downtown medical campus will be placed on lockdown, the emergency department at VCU Medical Center will remain accessible and operational during the test.

VCU Police and VCU Health security will have personnel stationed at each building that is part of this drill, and they will be able to open all electronically locked doors during the test in the event of a real-world emergency.

Community members can learn more about this drill and lockdown protocols via this FAQ.

Testing of VCU and VCU Health’s full alert system will include a one-minute siren activation, along with text messages, Alertus boxes, mass email, digital signs, desktop alerts, the LiveSafe app, the VCU Mobile app and VCU Alert website information — all part of a multichannel system for communicating emergency information to the university and the surrounding community. VCU Health team members will receive a test email and text message. (To learn about how, and when, police issue alerts, watch the VCU Alert system video.)

Ten minutes prior to the start of the test, VCU Alert emergency text and email subscribers will receive a message indicating that testing begins at noon; they will also receive a second text message at noon to signify the start of the test. VCU Police will send out additional messages once the lockdown and alert system testing has concluded.

Community can familiarize themselves with the types of alerting technology deployed to notify the community in the event of an emergency via VCU Alert page.

VCU Police never activate emergency alert or lockdown systems unless it has been confirmed there is a serious, active threat to the community.

During emergencies, community members can call 804-828-1234 and submit information via the Live Safe app. In non-emergency situations, call VCU’s Emergency Communications Center at 804-828-1196.