2008 Woodie Awards
Text alerts arrive
Jena Hippensteel
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: News
Phase one of three new security measures is now in effect: Samford has emergency text messaging.
The day after it was activated, a shooter at Northern Illinois University killed a total of five students and injured several more before killing himself.
Director of Campus Security Bobby Breed has been trying to update Samford’s security procedures due to similar events that have happened around the country recently.
“It’s been several months since the Virginia Tech shooting, and I think that made all university (security) chiefs review their procedures, especially now with the Northern Illinois shooting,” he said.
Kathryn Schueller, a freshman undeclared major at NIU, knew three people in the class where the shooting occurred.
“At first I was in shock and didn’t have much of a reaction to what had happened. It hit me later what the damage was and how it was going to change all of our lives,” she said.
The shooter was former student Steve Kazmierczak.
“Our dorms were under lock down within maybe five minutes of me hearing about what had happened,” Schueller said. “They were very responsive, and I feel they handled the crisis very well.”
In order to better Samford’s emergency response system, Breed contacted several university chiefs to find the best contact system to install.
“I took a number of proposals for it,” Breed said. “All of them lead back to one company. I have not heard one negative comment about Rave (Wireless).”
Rave Wireless is a mobile service designed for colleges to send information, such as text, email, RSS and/or recorded voice messages, via cell phones.
Registration for the device takes about five minutes, and the system is compatible with all models of cell phones.
Last week, Breed sent emails to inform all Samford students and faculty of the new system and to encourage them to sign up.
Another email was sent to students following the first to assuring students the system is valid.
“In hindsight, I probably should have sent out an email (before the Rave email) telling (students) about it because many of them thought it was SPAM,” Breed said.
Despite the confusion, approximately 700 to 1000 students and faculty have registered for the system.
Breed will continue to monitor the sign-up rate and said that a test will be issued in the “near future” to check usage of the system from both his desktop and Blackberry.
Two other members of Campus Safety are being trained to use the device, Associate Director Steve Inman and Breed’s secretary Terri Robinette. This is to ensure that information is sent in case Breed is unable to send the message.
Breed stresses that the current email system will still be used.
For events such as a water main break, a tree fall or construction work, Breed said he will send out emails “so as not to tie up student lines.”
For events that require immediate action, such as an active shooter or severe weather, a text message will be sent.
A specific subject line, also being developed, will be used as code to make the text message stand out from any others students might be receiving at the time.
Breed also said he is working on creating a unique sound to be emitted from the bell tower to notify students of an emergency.
This sound is phase two. It will sound simultaneously with the sending of a text message and email.
Breed said once the sound is ready, a test will be administered.
Students and faculty will be sent an email relaying details about the exact time and date so as not to cause confusion.
Phase three includes the addition of security cameras throughout Samford’s campus.
Several cameras are already in place in Samford Hall, the gyms and other locations across campus, but Breed is working to establish cameras for the two gated entrances and the three parking decks.
“I hope to get some good comments back about the system,” Breed said. “I hope to hear the negative ones, too, just so we can keep improving.”
In light of the Northern Illinois shooting, Samford students are appreciative of the communication improvements.
“I feel a lot more comfortable and safer on campus knowing that at any time I could get a message update about what’s going on in case of an emergency,” David Yerger, junior business major, said.
The day after it was activated, a shooter at Northern Illinois University killed a total of five students and injured several more before killing himself.
Director of Campus Security Bobby Breed has been trying to update Samford’s security procedures due to similar events that have happened around the country recently.
“It’s been several months since the Virginia Tech shooting, and I think that made all university (security) chiefs review their procedures, especially now with the Northern Illinois shooting,” he said.
Kathryn Schueller, a freshman undeclared major at NIU, knew three people in the class where the shooting occurred.
“At first I was in shock and didn’t have much of a reaction to what had happened. It hit me later what the damage was and how it was going to change all of our lives,” she said.
The shooter was former student Steve Kazmierczak.
“Our dorms were under lock down within maybe five minutes of me hearing about what had happened,” Schueller said. “They were very responsive, and I feel they handled the crisis very well.”
In order to better Samford’s emergency response system, Breed contacted several university chiefs to find the best contact system to install.
“I took a number of proposals for it,” Breed said. “All of them lead back to one company. I have not heard one negative comment about Rave (Wireless).”
Rave Wireless is a mobile service designed for colleges to send information, such as text, email, RSS and/or recorded voice messages, via cell phones.
Registration for the device takes about five minutes, and the system is compatible with all models of cell phones.
Last week, Breed sent emails to inform all Samford students and faculty of the new system and to encourage them to sign up.
Another email was sent to students following the first to assuring students the system is valid.
“In hindsight, I probably should have sent out an email (before the Rave email) telling (students) about it because many of them thought it was SPAM,” Breed said.
Despite the confusion, approximately 700 to 1000 students and faculty have registered for the system.
Breed will continue to monitor the sign-up rate and said that a test will be issued in the “near future” to check usage of the system from both his desktop and Blackberry.
Two other members of Campus Safety are being trained to use the device, Associate Director Steve Inman and Breed’s secretary Terri Robinette. This is to ensure that information is sent in case Breed is unable to send the message.
Breed stresses that the current email system will still be used.
For events such as a water main break, a tree fall or construction work, Breed said he will send out emails “so as not to tie up student lines.”
For events that require immediate action, such as an active shooter or severe weather, a text message will be sent.
A specific subject line, also being developed, will be used as code to make the text message stand out from any others students might be receiving at the time.
Breed also said he is working on creating a unique sound to be emitted from the bell tower to notify students of an emergency.
This sound is phase two. It will sound simultaneously with the sending of a text message and email.
Breed said once the sound is ready, a test will be administered.
Students and faculty will be sent an email relaying details about the exact time and date so as not to cause confusion.
Phase three includes the addition of security cameras throughout Samford’s campus.
Several cameras are already in place in Samford Hall, the gyms and other locations across campus, but Breed is working to establish cameras for the two gated entrances and the three parking decks.
“I hope to get some good comments back about the system,” Breed said. “I hope to hear the negative ones, too, just so we can keep improving.”
In light of the Northern Illinois shooting, Samford students are appreciative of the communication improvements.
“I feel a lot more comfortable and safer on campus knowing that at any time I could get a message update about what’s going on in case of an emergency,” David Yerger, junior business major, said.