UH officials satisfied with emergency-alert test
Some text messages weren't received and students complained they couldn't hear the new public address system, but overall, a test of an emergency alert system yesterday "went pretty well," University of Hawaii officials said.
"That's why we do tests," said David Lassner, UH vice president for information technology. Lassner said they are still looking into why some text messages and e-mails weren't received.
The tests were planned for the day before the first anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings to raise awareness of the system, Lassner said.
UH-Manoa spokesman Gregg Takayama said in an actual emergency, the PA systems in campus security cars would be supplemented by Honolulu police vehicles, so the alert would be louder.
The test also involved phone and e-mail alert systems and the UH emergency Web page in a coordinated effort.
It was the first time the PA and text message systems were tested. The text message system is provided by the Hawaii-based company Talisman LBS, LLC, which is providing the system free to UH, Lassner said.
So far, about 5,600 students, faculty and staff on the 10 UH campuses have signed up to receive text alerts, Lassner said. People can sign up by going to www.hawaii.edu/alert.
Further tests are planned. The university is also looking to install sirens on its campuses as another means of alerting people about emergencies, Lassner said.