Today@Sam Article

Can We Find You In Case Of An Emergency?

Sept. 7, 2016
SHSU Media Contact: Julia May

Last week, Sam Houston State University issued a KatSafe notification to the campus community about smoke in the Lee Drain Building. The notification provided information about the evacuation of the building and the subsequent continuation of classes.

From weather closings to safety issues, the university uses a variety of methods through KatSafe to provide alerts and updates on situations affecting the university community. 

Among those are website messaging, outdoor sirens, voice mail, email, text messaging, desktop alert, and social media. Depending on the type of information to be disseminated, the appropriate method of communication is used. Last week, officials chose to inform the campus through text messaging, the desktop alert system, social media, and the SHSU home page.

In major critical situations, all available alerts will be activated. 

SHSU has e-mail addresses for all of its students, faculty and staff, but the emergency notification system requires a phone number in order to call and/or send text messages.

Text messaging is especially effective because almost everyone has access to a cell phone and utilizes the device for information and communication. 

However, approximately 45 percent of SHSU-associated individuals do not have a text messaging number enabled with their other contact information.  As of Aug. 22—two days before the beginning of classes—the university had 22,622 contacts, of which only 12,565 are configured to receive text messages, according to Mark Adams, SHSU vice president for information technology. 

“In order for the emergency notification system to be beneficial, it is important for Sam Houston State University students, faculty and staff to provide accurate contact information to the university,” Adams said. “If, for example, you’ve changed phone carriers recently and have a new number or bought a new phone and have a different number, the university needs that information so that you can be reached.” 

Students, faculty and staff can easily check on and update their contact information through samweb.shsu.edu. 

For information about KatSafe, visit shsu.edu/katsafe.

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