|
Sign Up!
Register for BruinAlert and receive emergency notifications on your cell phone!
The BruinAlertTM Mass Notification System
Technology is constantly evolving. UCLA currently utilizes the BruinAlert™ system to deliver emergency warnings and advisories campuswide.
BruinAlert™ is comprised of several individual (multi-mode) resources to advise the campus community of an emergency in progress. BruinAlertTM will not be used for issuing routine advisories.
UCLA uses mass notifications, traffic advisory notices, and emergency news and information systems to communicate during critical events. Campus departments also issue information about special events through their websites.
The emergency communication and advisory systems are constantly changing as technology evolves on a day-to-day basis. The UCLA community should refer to this site frequently to stay informed and educated as new systems are implemented and upgraded. Part of the warning system's success is the ability of the community to understand how the systems are used, their limitations and how an individual should respond once the system is activated.
UCLA is currently investigating visual warning systems, audible warning systems (both indoor and outdoor), and e-technology systems to communicate during a crisis. It is important to understand that no single system has the capability to provide 100 percent coverage of the UCLA campus. An effective and reliable notification system utilizes many redundant systems, integrated with several resources. UCLA is impacted by topography, building design and other factors in providing mass notification and communications during crisis.
UCLA Communication & Advisory Resources Include:
BruinAlert™
UCLA has developed BruinAlert to communicate official information during an emergency or crisis situation that disrupts normal operation of the UCLA campus or threatens the health or safety of members of the campus community.
UCLA students with current email addresses in the URSA student database have been automatically enrolled in BruinAlert to receive email alerts. Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging via BruinAlert is also available to UCLA students on a voluntary self-subscription basis via the BruinAlert website.
BruinAlert delivers messages to student subscribers on a “best effort” basis to email and SMS text-capable wireless devices, such as most cellular telephones.
BruinAlert is a personalized service designed to complement other tools already used by UCLA to advise the campus community during crises or emergencies. Examples include:
- SMS/Text Messaging System
- Outdoor Siren and Voice Warning System
- Campus Mass E-Mail System
- AM 1630 Radio Station
- UCLA Cable Television – Emergency Advisory System (EAS)
- Campus Safety Resources
- 1-800-900-UCLA (Recorded Message)
- Effective emergency response requires personal preparedness and planning. While no emergency communications system can be guaranteed to be effective and reliable in every situation, we encourage students to sign up for BruinAlert as one part of their personal emergency preparedness plan.
AM 1630 Radio
AM 1630 is licensed to operate using low power (10 watts). AM 1630 broadcasts seven days a week, 24 hours a day. AM 1630 is also simulcast daily on UCLA Cable TV channel. There are many situations that the campus AM radio system is utilized. Here are possible scenarios:
You're driving to your job at UCLA, listening to the radio, when you hear a news report about a chemical spill and possible evacuation on campus. The report doesn't say how bad the spill is or which buildings are affected. You're wondering what to do: Is it safe for you to go to work, or should you just turn around and go home?
You are a student, faculty or employee and you see media helicopters hovering over the UCLA campus – is there something bad happening on- or off-campus, a celebrity sighting in Westwood, a vehicle pursuit or is it just a slow news day?
The answer may be right at your fingertips: Tune to the UCLA Emergency & Travel Advisory Radio Station, 1630 on your AM dial, for emergency instructions and other advisories.
The mission of the AM 1630 radio station is to provide the UCLA community with information about real-time traffic conditions as they're coming into campus, or provide emergency news and information. Likewise, if there were a building collapse or a fire, the radio station could tell people which parts of campus are closed, or whether people should assemble and wait for emergency instructions. If a substantial incident is occurring like a major travel route adjacent to the campus is blocked, the radio station is the first likely source for information.
Get into the habit of checking the radio station for information or other advisories. AM 1630 station programming may be adjusted to provide information that is critical to the UCLA community.
During "normal" times, the station plays the same message – "You are listening to the UCLA Emergency Advisory System as approved by the Federal Communications Commission...in the event of an emergency or urgent condition, please tune to AM 1630. You will be provided with instructions or life-saving actions to take during the emergency” – on an endless loop.
Mass Notification & Advisory System
UCLA uses a variety of multi-mode integrated systems to deliver emergency messages and advisories. In November 2007, UCLA implemented the BruinAlert™ system for students, and a new multi-media mass notification system for faculty and staff. This mass notification system has the capability to deliver thousands of emergency messages, advisories and other information to campus departments, employees, students and faculty promptly in the event of a crisis. The University, through the Office of the Chancellor or University Communications, may issue advisories through the UCLA E-Mail system. The system has the capability to reach anyone using a “ucla.edu” extension. It can be used during a crisis to issue advisories and other notifications.
The Mass Notification System will have a registry and subscription page, and you may be asked to subscribe to the notification system. The campus community can be alerted using the following methods:
- Network “Pop-Up” Banners – displayed on every campus computer
- SMS or Text Messaging – requires your cell phone number
- Outdoor Siren & Voice Warning System – audible warning system used to convey emergency alerts and instructions in an outdoor area
- E-Mail – requires your various e-mail addresses
- Mass E-Mail – generally used to convey a message from the Chancellor or UCLA Communications Office
- Campus Cable Television – using a scrolling banner on all channels to convey information rapidly to the campus community
It is essential that everyone on the campus subscribe to this system. It will become the primary means of alerting you to an emergency on the campus. This system could provide you with life-saving instructions or critical actions to take when seconds count, so we cannot emphasize how important your participation in this process becomes.
UCLA Cable Channel 3 & Emergency Advisory System (EAS)
UCLA manages cable television services campuswide. In the event of an emergency, UCLA students, faculty and staff can turn to UCLA Cable channel 3 and listen to the audio simulcast feed from AM 1630.
In the event of a campuswide emergency, UCLA may also issue an EAS advisory on all cable channels through a scrolling “EAS” message banner. The EAS message may consist of information about the location of the emergency, immediate actions and directions to take, and other information vital to public safety and security.
Outdoor Siren & Voice Warning System
In the summer of 2008, UCLA implemented a outdoor mass notification system. The system consists of outdoor siren and audible voice messaging speakers placed in the Dickson Court, Drake Stadium & Intramural Field and the Student Residential Housing Area. This system provides a siren-type alert, which is immediately followed by a clear, intelligible voice advisory. In 2009, a fourth speaker array was added near the Ashe Center (Bruin Bear and Bruin Walk courtyard). A fifth speaker array will be added near the UCPD Police Station on Westwood Boulevard in 2010.
This system is designed to capture your attention and then provide instructions on how you should respond to the alert. It is essential that you educate yourself on how this system is used on the campus.
1-800-900-UCLA (8252)
1-800-900-UCLA is a means to convey pre-recorded information and updates to long-term emergency events occurring on campus. In the event of a substantial emergency, the UCLA community can call 1-800-900-UCLA to obtain information about campus closures, evacuations and whether programs or other operations may be affected. This system will also be used to provide information about call centers, student support services, and other assistance available to the University community during a crisis.
General Services Outage System
The UCLA General Services Department hosts an outage warning system. This internal notification system is used by Trouble Call and General Services staff on a daily basis to issue alerts for Building Coordinators, building occupants, faculty, personnel and other UCLA community members of planned utility outages (elevator repairs and generator testing), road closures and detours, special events and planning, system failures and other advisories as they occur. The system can also be used in an emergency to deliver e-notifications and advisories to approximately 1,500 users of the system.
Public Awareness Systems
UCLA is currently reviewing and implementing several systems that have the capability to deliver mass notification to a campus population of over 60,000 people. Time is essential during crisis as well as system redundancy so the systems work in a large-scale disaster when the wired resources and infrastructure in the greater Southern California area are knocked out (local phone lines, Internet, computer network servers and cellular carriers) or suffer from severe, prolonged disruptions. The entire campus administration is working toward implementation of a large-scale mass notification system with guaranteed delivery and reliability.
California Emergency Digital Information System (EDIS)
The Emergency Digital Information Service (EDIS) delivers official information about emergencies and disasters to the public and the news media in California. EDIS is a service of the State of California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
The UCLA Emergency Manager is authorized issue alerts, advisories, and warnings through the EDIS system. UCLA students, faculty, staff and visitors can subscribe to the EDIS advisory system through the EDIS website. See Related Information for a link to the EDIS site.
|
