February 27, 2012

University’s emergency text message alert system expands

The university’s emergency text message alert system has expanded to cover 12 campuses and other facilities throughout the Baltimore-Washington area.

The Johns Hopkins Emergency Alerts system is now active from Johns Hopkins Bayview in Baltimore south and west to the Montgomery County Campus and the university’s Washington, D.C., buildings near Dupont Circle.

Individual JHEA subscriptions are also available for the four north Baltimore campuses—Homewood, Eastern, Mount Washington and Keswick—that previously were considered one entity for JHEA purposes.

University security or emergency managers can use JHEA to send a text message warning directly to your mobile device if a shooting, fire, tornado or other emergency on or near campus threatens your safety.

Students, faculty members and staff should sign up now if they are not already subscribed, or add new locations to their subscription if they work or study at multiple Johns Hopkins campuses, said Daniel G. Ennis, senior vice president for finance and administration, and Jonathan Links, chair of the university’s Committee on Crisis Management.

Even if you are already enrolled and plan no changes, you should check to make sure your current subscription is correct, Ennis and Links said.

“When an actual emergency occurs, it’s too late,” they wrote in an email message to the university community. “Please act immediately, and help us to help you.”

To subscribe, go to tinyurl.com/jhea-subscribe. You will need to sign in with your JHED ID and password.