Parking Logistics, Coverage Information for Media Covering Siren Test

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley
Division of University Relations

Virginia Commonwealth University will test emergency warning sirens at its Monroe Park and MCV campuses at noon, Wednesday, Feb. 6.

VCU officials will be available for interviews immediately following the test outside the Shafer Court Dining Center on the Monroe Park Campus, 810 Cathedral Place.

Media vehicles will be allowed to park on the pavement between Cabell Library and Hibbs Hall for coverage of the siren test. Access is off Linden Street near Park Avenue.  Media are requested to notify University News Services at the above contact information if they plan to park live trucks in this area.

The full test, which is conducted each semester, now includes 10 sirens across both campuses following an assessment of the initial test last fall. In addition, monthly checks of the siren system that consist of 15-second bursts that also recharge the siren batteries will be conducted at noon on the first Wednesday of each month.

The sirens will be audible beyond the boundaries of the two campuses. On the Monroe Park Campus, the sirens are located on the roof of Cabell Library, the Sports Medicine and Technology Services buildings, the West Cary and Jefferson Street parking decks and on the School of Engineering's West Hall.

On the MCV Campus the sirens are located on the Wood Memorial Building, the 8^th Street Parking Deck, the VMI Building and the Massey Cancer Center's Goodwin Laboratory.

A warning "wail" siren will sound for two minutes, followed by a one-minute "all-clear," even tone to end the test. 

The sirens will be tested along with text messages, digital signs, e-mails and Web site information that are part of an enhanced, rapid, multi-level system for communicating emergency information to students, VCU employees, parents and neighbors.

In a real emergency, the communications channels can be used together or in any combination to effectively respond to specific emergency situations. These emergency communications methods include:

·        Text Messaging will be a primary communications channel to students, employees and parents and will be used to notify them about emergencies and closings and delays for inclement weather.

·        Sirens on both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses will be used in real emergencies when it is imperative to get everyone's attention simultaneously because an immediate, life-threatening situation has occurred or is imminent. In an actual emergency, sirens will sound for four minutes to alert people outside campus buildings to immediately seek shelter and additional information. People in a campus building should remain where they are and seek additional information about what is happening and how to respond. People off-campus should not come to campus but should seek additional information. Once the campus environment is determined to be safe, the "all-clear" or even tone siren is activated for two minutes.

·        The VCU Alert Web site at www.vcu.edu/alert will be updated regularly with information and instructions about how to respond in an emergency situation.

·        Digital screens in major academic buildings and all residence halls on both campuses will be used to provide visual and audio alerts similar to those displayed on the VCU Alert web site.

·        E-mail will be used to send more detailed information to everyone with a VCU email account.  Procedures have been streamlined so messages can be sent to VCU's 55,000 email accounts in about 30 minutes.

·        Email alerts for parents are available by subscribing to an email list which is accessible from VCU's alert page at www.vcu.edu/alert/notify.  This list will be used to keep parents updated on any emergency situations that the campus is dealing with. 

·        Word of mouth, or passing along pertinent information to others, is also encouraged to ensure awareness of an emergency to those who might not have received alert information.