WIU prepares emergency notification system
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<p align="justify"><font face="Nimrod MT" size="1">Western Illinois University announced Thursday that an emergency notification system will be up and running on the school's campuses in 2008.</font><font face="Times New Roman">
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<p align="justify">The WIU Emergency Alert System is designed to notify students, faculty, staff and visitors at both the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses. The notification, for emergencies such as severe weather and threats to safety, will come in the form of phone and text messages and e-mails.
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<p align="justify">The school already has a log of the phone numbers and e-mail addresses from personnel and student files, but others are being asked to add their emergency contact information at www.wiu.edu/alertsystem. A sign-up area is on the sidebar on the left side of the screen, and users will need their school ID number and e-mail address to access the system.
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<p align="justify">"It's crucial that we are able to notify individuals on both our Macomb and Quad Cities campuses immediately in emergency situations as up-to-date communication helps minimize the spread of misinformation, restore order and provide direction," said Jackie Thompson, vice president for administrative services.
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<p align="justify">The first test of the emergency system is scheduled for Jan. 30.