By Danny Vasquez
Elans should take the extra step in safety and register for the emergency alert system.
Through the years, the use of technology has changed how people communicate during an emergency.
In the past, loud alarm would alert the students if there was an emergency on campus, but new technology of the emergency alert system, it would be an easier way for students to be aware.
The new system is called RaveMobile and its job is to notify students of emergencies on and off campus.
Although it is an important resource, students and faculty don’t seem eager to register for it.
Of 29,000 students and 1,413 faculty members, only 502 Elans have registered into the system. That leaves a lot of students without any information of what’s going on around campus.
According to Ernest Burnett, faculty system coordinator, the power of RaveMobile can send up to 26,000 notifications in one minute.
“It’s a very powerful system, it’s just as powerful of the number of people you have on it,” Burnett said.
All notifications are quick and sent every second when the emergency is identified.
The types of emergencies would vary by the importance of the incident.
RaveMobile is not meant to spam but only alert the student when necessary.
“The only thing it will be used for is for an emergency situation and that emergency situation would be evaluated from the sheriff’s department and by the administration,” Burnett said.
This system benefits students because it notifies them of emergencies such as fires, guns on campus and any natural disaster that may affect students while they are on campus.
It is very convenient, easy and worth it to have.
The RaveMobile system works on any phone company and is sent via text message. It can save your life with just one text.
It is free with the exception of those that pay for certain data plans such as text messaging.
RaveMobile is 1 out of 3systems that notifies students of important emergencies, these systems are located both on and off campus.
For example, the VOLP Emergency Advisor works through any classroom by using speaker phones.
The use of fire alarms and speaker phones are as well located in the building to alert students of fires and earthquakes.
Outside campus there are speaker systems that activate automatically during emergencies located in G3 Auditorium and B5.
An emergency can happen at any moment, and the more people are aware, the better chance to keep everyone safe.
To register for the emergency system, students can use their ACE student email account by visiting www.elac.edu and clicking the Emergency Alerts icon.
Students must have a valid phone number and email address.
Additional information can be found at www.ravemobilesafety.com/index.html or www.alertme.elac.edu.