On Jan. 30, Missouri S&T successfully tested its new emergency alert system by sending test voice, text or email messages to the entire campus community. The results are as follows:
• The message reached a total of 7,549 people in the form of an email, voice or text message.
• Prerecorded voice messages sent to cell phones had a success rate of 68 percent.
• Text messages sent to cell phone had a success rate of 78 percent.
These percentages were affected by factors outside of university control, such as hang-ups, users who did not have voicemail set up, busy phone lines and incorrectly entered contact information. The security team is now analyzing the database to determine how to improve the system and delivery rates, but overall the test was considered a success.

To encourage registration for the new system prior to the test, the university offered a $75 Missouri S&T gift card drawing. Daniel Wilson, a Missouri S&T student, was randomly selected from everyone who had registered with a cell phone or text messaging number. Congratulations, Daniel.
Currently, 41.9 percent of the campus community has signed up to receive emergency notifications via text or voice message. Students, faculty and staff who do not sign up will be notified of campus emergencies via email to their university email account.
Students, faculty and staff can still register to receive voicemail or text messages about campus emergencies by visiting http://it.mst.edu/generalinfo/emergencyalert.html.