NORFOLK -- In this age of campus shootings, schools are arming themselves with technology to help them keep students and staff safe.

From Norfolk State Univ.

Norfolk State University’s the latest institution to implement an upgraded campus alert system. It’s using technology called Send Word Now, a system being used in New York City emergency response team, explains NSU spokeswoman Sharon Hoggard.

“If it can handle that amount of information, it can handle our 6,980 recipients,” she notes.

A team made up for employees from the IT, procurement and media departments reviewed different systems and, through a bidding process, Send Word Now was selected.

The system allows users to input up to 10 ways they want to be contacted.

Hoggard says NSU began testing the system in February – first with tests to a random group of 143 people that included a link asking receivers to update their contact information.

As the test group expanded, some issues came to light.

“Not too many people are having problems with the system, but information about the text messaging has been troublesome, whether you want the SMS feature for example, so we put on the NSU Website a quick reference guide for users to review,” Hoggard said.

On March 18 at 4:24 p.m., a campus-wide test-message was sent to all users to update their contact information. They have a week to respond before a second message is sent.

As of Thursday, 1,100 of the 6890 people have responded. 

“994 of those have updated their information and 142 have acknowledged receipt of the message,” Hoggard said. “We’ll send a self-update message out weekly until everyone’s responded.”

A great feature of the NSU system, according to Hoggard,  is that even if you don’t opt in for a variety of notifications, you will still receive alerts through the Norfolk State e-mail.

“So there’s always some way you can be contacted to be notified of an emergency on campus – whether there’s a lockdown or a weather situation.”

Send Word Now created the database from NSU’s records of email accounts, names and ID numbers.

Hoggard says NSU can go into the system and review who’s responded and when. We can even see exactly when the message was delivered and to which device the message was sent.

As Norfolk State tested the system, officials got questions about the messages, because many people were concerned that the emails could be a phishing scheme and they were wary of responding and inputting information.

Hoggard explained the type of message users might receive during an emergency.

“This is a message from NSU campus alert.  Ice and snow have caused a roof collapse in Brown Hall. Debris is everywhere. Avoid the area. Press 1 if you’re on campus and safe. Press 2 if you need emergency assistance now.  Press 3 if you’re okay.“

This new communications system is the latest tool in the NSU alert system.

During inclement weather or other time sensitive incidents, alerts have been put out on the Spartan Line, the university's automated telephone information system, the NSU Website, the operator voice mail and the campus Channels 46-47 electronic bulletin board as well through the media.

NSU is confident the SendWordNow system will get the job done.

“If we had an emergency today, we’d have a way to notify everyone associated with NSU,” Hoggard stressed. 

The University is looking at an audible alert system, but it's not in place yet.