DATE: January 08, 2008
CONTACT:
Willliam "Bill" Daniel, (864) 656-2322
dw@clemson.edu
WRITER:
Teresa C. Hopkins, (864) 656-1222
hopkin1@clemson.edu
Clemson unveils enhanced safety measures
CLEMSON – New safety alert and warning systems are in place at Clemson University as students return to campus for the spring semester.
The new systems include voice-warning sirens, text-message alerts and a safety information Web site.
“The safety of the students, faculty and staff at Clemson has always been a top priority, however, the tragedy at Virginia Tech last spring led us to take steps to make the campus even safer,” said university Fire Chief Bill Daniel.
Voice messages have been added to the outdoor emergency siren system to provide specific warnings of approaching dangerous weather or situations that require evacuation. The university also has invested in an emergency text-message system that gives police and fire dispatchers the ability to send emergency text messages to cell phones, campus e-mail addresses and computers. Members of the university community can go to the new safety Web site, http://www.clemson.edu/cusafety, to sign up for text alerts and to learn more about the safety features.
In addition to the siren upgrade and text alerts, the university has added six officers to the Police Department, launched the Caring Network to coordinate information among university professionals to help identify and diffuse troubled students’ problems while they still are small and joined the Pickens County’s e-911 system so emergency responders can track callers’ locations, even from cell phones.
Other safety measures include the creation of the EMpower Clemson office for alcohol and related risk issues and increased the duties and training of security coordinators in campus buildings.
END
Editor’s Note: A demonstration of the safety features will begin at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the university fire department on Silas Pearman Road (formerly Perimeter Road). The test of the new voice alert system will take place at 11 a.m.