Release date: Oct. 29, 2007
Contact: Beverly Cox Clark at 404-712-8780 or beverly.clark@emory.edu

Siren Testing on Emory Campus to Take Place Oct. 30

Emory University will conduct tests of a newly installed outdoor siren system Tuesday, Oct. 30, between Noon and 1 p.m. The seven sirens, installed at strategic spots throughout campus, are part of the University's comprehensive emergency notification system being rolled out this fall.

"No single technology can ensure that all members of our community will be alerted in time of crisis," says Alexander Isakov, executive director of the Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR). "The installation and testing of these devices is another important step toward having a multi-modal, fully functional emergency notification program for Emory and its neighbors."

Tuesday's testing activity will include full range tests of the entire system. All seven sirens/loudspeakers will be tested simultaneously. An announcement, on the public address system, will inform the community when the full range testing session is about to begin. The sirens will sound an audible alert. When the sirens have completed the alert cycle, an announcement will be broadcast to indicate the testing session is complete.

The sirens will serve two purposes, says Robert Nadolski, senior administrator of CEPAR. Sirens will perform the traditional weather alert function, for example, to warn of a potential tornado, and will be used to alert people of a crisis or emergency on campus. That general emergency alert, he says, "will be a signal for people to look to another medium of communication for additional information."

Where are the sirens? At Peavine Parking Deck on Eagle Row, Emory Children's Center on Haygood Drive, Starvine Parking Deck on the Clarimont Campus, North Gatewood Road (near Yerkes National Primate Research Center), at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention main entrance on Clifton Road, and Michael Street Parking Deck, just off Clifton Road. A seventh siren is at the Briarcliff Campus on Briarcliff Road, and the Oxford College campus in Oxford, Ga., near Covington also will have a centrally located siren.

What will people hear during testing? "Since the devices are capable of emitting a range of tones, we will be testing those and the public address function," says Nadolski. The emergency notification system task force is developing a protocol for the sirens, spelling out types of warnings and simple, specific directives. This protocol will be communicated widely as the system is rolled out, says Nadolski. The sirens will be controlled from a console at Emory Police headquarters.

How loud are they? "Their loudness will depend on where they are located and the terrain around them," says Nadolski, but adds, "You may not be able to hear them if you're inside a building; they are primarily designed to notify people who are out and about."

Bottom line? Listen for yourself.

Emory University (www.emory.edu) is one of the nation’s leading private research universities and a member of the Association of American Universities. Known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities, Emory is ranked as one of the country's top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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