FIU implements emergency text message alerts

MIAMI – Florida International University announced today that it will provide instant emergency alerts to its students through its Panther Alerts text messaging system.

Using Inspiron Logistics’ Wireless Emergency Notification System (WENS), FIU officials have the ability to send students and employees important updates during emergencies.

“Florida International University is continually seeking ways to ensure the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff,” said Vice President of Student Affairs and Undergraduate Education Rosa Jones. “Panther Alerts will be a key component of our plans to make sure that our students, faculty and staff have the latest and most accurate information in an emergency. We encourage everyone on our campuses to participate.”

Beginning this month, students, faculty, staff, parents of students, and other members of the community who would like to receive the Panther Alerts can sign up through buttons located on the main FIU home page or the My.FIU student portal.

Participants will provide their names, e-mail addresses, and the phone numbers where they want to receive the text messages. They can update the information as necessary or remove the information if they no longer wish to participate. Those who sign up will receive test messages periodically to ensure that the system is working properly and that all registrants are receiving messages.

Panther Alerts is the latest component of FIU’s emergency notification system. FIU also has installed outdoor speakers at its campuses and placed emergency Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones in classrooms. University officials also alert the university community during emergencies through electronic signs at the entrances of the University Park and Biscayne Bay campuses, and local news outlets.

“A strong emergency notification system is essential to our emergency management plan,” said Charles Cyrille, FIU’s emergency management coordinator. “The ability to reach our entire university community instantly through Panther Alerts will be central to those efforts.”

-FIU-

Media Contact: Madeline Baró, 305-348-2234 or mbaro@fiu.edu

About FIU:

Florida International University was founded in 1965 and is Miami’s only public research university. With a student body of more than 38,000, FIU graduates more Hispanics than any other university in the country. Its 21 colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. FIU has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a “High Research Activity University.” In 2006 FIU was authorized to establish a medical school, which will open in 2009. FIU’s College of Law recently received accreditation in the fastest time allowed by the American Bar Association.