Lehigh to test emergency preparedness

Given the important role communications would play during a campus crisis, Lehigh’s University Communications and Public Affairs office will test the university’s emergency preparedness in an operational exercise between 4 and 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.

During that time, the following systems will be tested:

* Mobile text alerts (LU-ALERT)

* Broadcast e-mail and voice mail to campus

* 8-NEWS telephone system

* Classroom announcement system

* Emergency communication messaging on various areas of Lehigh’s Web site, including Inside Lehigh, external home page, college home pages, emergency information site, the campus portal and the back-up emergency site (lehighupdate.com)

The test should have no adverse affect on e-mail or other online services, although the visual appearance of Lehigh’s Web site will change at intervals throughout the test. Special graphics and text published to the Web site as part of the operation will be clearly labeled with the word “test” to prevent confusion.

In the event of a real emergency affecting a significant number of people, Lehigh administrators would send a short text message to all those who have subscribed to the LU-ALERT service. That message will provide a brief description of the circumstances and specific instructions on the appropriate course of action in the event of such an emergency.

Members of the Lehigh community can either update their information or register for the LU-ALERT service by going to http://www.lehigh.edu/lu-alert, logging into the campus portal and following the instructions for registration.