| GothicAlert FAQ's |
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What is GothicAlert?
A method to effectively communicate emergency information to a large number of people at virtually the same time.
What GothicAlert is not?
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A way to send non-emergency, routine or spam messages
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Situations for which GothicAlert will be used may include but are not limited to:
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Potential life-threatening situations on campus
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Extreme Weather Conditions
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Activation of Emergency Response Teams
Who is responsible for declaring an emergency and sending out a
GothicAlert?
The
Department of Public Safety usually will initiate emergency
notifications, although the Office of the President and the Office of
Student Affairs will have the authority and ability to issue
GothicAlerts
as well.
If you have an emergency, or encounter an emergency situation on
campus, you should immediately call Public Safety (extension 55 on
campus or 201-200-3128 from a cell phone) or
click here for more information
.
What will I receive?
As a subscriber to this service, you’ll receive an emergency alert any time the University closes unexpectedly, classes are
delayed, or during any other emergency conditions that relate to your
individual safety or the safety of the campus community. The alert
system is used exclusively for emergency information and will not
be used for any other form of communication.
What action should I take if I do receive a
GothicAlert?
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Detailed instructions on where to go and what to do will usually be included in the
GothicAlert.
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Help
spread the word by telling those around you what’s happening. (Word of
mouth is an important form of notification.) Doing this by word of
mouth (vs. by phone) leaves more phone lines open for the system to
utilize.
How do I utilize the system if I'm visually-or hearing-impaired?
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The visually-impaired will be able to rely upon the recorded emergency messages by phone.
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We’ll also accommodate the hearing-impaired by having
them register their TTY/TDD receiving device phone numbers with the Public Safety Department by calling 201-200-3515.
Under what conditions would I not receive these messages?
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If you have not subscribed to the service
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If you have unsubscribed to the service
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If you are not a registered student or an active NJCU employee at the time of notification
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If the information provided in the GothicNet portal is not accurate or up to date
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Issues with your mobile device service provider
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Spam filter may have blocked an e-mail from being delivered
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Your IM service tool privacy settings may need to be modified, contact your carrier for more information
What contact information is used for
GothicAlert?
Contact
information used for
GothicAlert
is taken directly from information
provided by students, staff and faculty within GothicNet. It is the
responsibility of faculty, staff and students to make sure this
information is accurate and up to date in order to receive
emergency notifications.
How do I unsubscribe to
GothicAlert?
GothicAlert
is a subscription service. If a
student, faculty or staff member wishes not to participate, then do not
fill out the info in GothicNet. If you have previously subscribed and
wish to unsubscribe, log into GothicNet and then click on My Page, then
GothicAlert
,
then subscribe to emergency alerts. Once you are in, clear all the
info on the form as well as uncheck the subscribe box and check the unsubscribe box. By unsubscribing,
the
student, faculty or staff member's information will not be sent to
GothicAlert.
Therefore, no emergency messages will be received by
persons who "Unsubscribe".
Can anyone else in the University use my information?
Contact
information collected for
GothicAlert
is for use in
the ENS only. The University will not use this
Information for any other purpose than emergency notification.
How much does the
GothicAlert service cost?
GothicAlert
is provided free of charge to active NJCU staff, faculty and
students. There is no cost associated with participation in the
service. However, participants are responsible for charges made by
service providers related to text messages and mobile phone calls -
actual and test messages.
Will the University by testing the system?
GothicAlert
will be tested at least once per Spring and Fall semester. Additional
testing may be conducted as part of drills and exercises, or as
necessary.
What other means will be used by NJCU to communicate emergency information?
Other communication mediums that will be used at the University:
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Public Address System
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NJCU webpage at www.njcu.edu
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Blast email to "___@njcu.edu" accounts
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Building Emergency Coordinators (BEC)
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Interdepartmental and Building Phone Trees
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Local Media/Radio Broadcasts
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A tapes telephone announcement will be avilable from 201-200-2000
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School closings info will be available at www.1010wins.com
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Updated information will be available at www.njcu.edu
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The University Phone Chain
What should I do if I use my cell phone as my home phone (i.e., I don't have a landline at home)?
You
can input your cell phone number in both the home phone field and the cellphone field on your GothicNet form.
Other members of the University community received emergency (or test)
GothicAlert
messages, but I did not. What should I do?
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Did you subscribe to the service?
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You
should first check your voicemail/answering machine (cell, work, and/or
home) to ensure that you simply didn’t miss the call(s).
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If
messages weren’t left on such recording devices for all of the contact
numbers you’ve provided, you should check your contact information to
ensure that it is accurate and up to date. (Click here for detailed instructions on how to accomplish this.)
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If
your contact information appears to be correct, you should report that
you did not receive the
GothicAlert to Public Safety by filling out the online form or emailing Public Safety at publicsafety@njcu.edu
What phone number will I receive on my caller ID once I receive a
GothicAlert? I want to program it into my phone.
The
calls will come from 201-200-3128. We recommend that you program
a unique and audible ring tone for calls coming from that number.
How are duplicate phone numbers handled?
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Some
people may use their cell phone as their home phone (i.e., they don’t
have a landline at home) and thus have the same phone number listed as
their Home Phone and Cell Phone.
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Similarly,
some phone numbers may be shared by multiple people (e.g., a shared
phone at work, or by roommates in an apartment).
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To
eliminate unnecessary/redundant phone calls during an emergency, the
system will automatically reduce all occurrences of duplicate phone
numbers to single, unique phone numbers, before initiating a mass
notification.
If
I switch cell phone service providers, do I have to notify NJCU that I
have changed providers, even though my cell phone number remains the
same?
Yes. You must log into the GothicNet form and update your cell phone service provider.
Who do I contact with additional questions?
You may visit the GothicAlert website or contact the Public Safety Department at 201-200-3128.
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