New emergency preparedness Web site

By John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
Dean and Professor

A couple of weeks ago the University unveiled its latest tool in emergency preparedness: a Web site designed to alert students, staff, and faculty of dangerous situations instantly.

The site is the latest resource in an effort to ramp up U-wide preparedness efforts. Last fall, the U launched the TXT-U emergency notification system that sends alerts on emergencies and campus closings. More than 12,000 people have registered for the text-messaging service, which proved successful in December during a campus bomb threat. The U also recently established an emergency voice message line at 612-301-SAFE (612-301-7233).

As we know in public health, preparedness is essential to safety. As Assistant Vice President for Public Health, I serve on emergency preparedness groups for the Academic Health Center and the University. These latest preparedness efforts are part of a larger planning initiative that will continue to evolve and grow.

I encourage you to visit the new site at www.umn.edu/prepared. You can sign up for TXT-U, learn about preparing for emergencies, and find out what do to in various emergency scenarios.