Emergency Management Plan

Policy Manual

 

Appendix III

Subject:       

QUICK-REFERENCE MATERIALS

Purple Alert

page App-3

 

Purple Alert

 

      Northwestern State University Emergency Notification System

 

 

What is  PURPLE ALERT?

 

 PURPLE ALERT is a rapid notification system. At its core, PURPLE ALERT is a multi-part communications process for disseminating alerts to NSU students, faculty and staff. PURPLE ALERTS are distributed through a company called Firstcall. Registration for PURPLE ALERTS will take place directly through a Firstcall supported website.

 

 

Instructions to Register for Purple Alert

Instructions to Update Your Existing Information with Purple Alert

Register Now

 

 

Email: purple-alert@nsula.edu


Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is an Emergency?
An emergency is a situation which poses an immediate risk to the health and safety of the campus community.

What is PURPLE ALERT?
PURPLE ALERT is a rapid notification system. At its core, PURPLE ALERT is a multi-part communications process for disseminating alerts to NSU students, faculty and staff. PURPLE ALERTS are distributed through a company called Firstcall. Registration for PURPLE ALERTS will take place directly through a Firstcall supported website.

Why should I provide my emergency contact information?
Having information enables you to make choices regarding your personal safety. Providing your cell phone and other contact information ensures that those with the latest information can contact you quickly and easily.

Why should I sign up?

About 90 percent of today's college students have cellular phones and carry them wherever they go, as do many faculty and staff. We hope we’ll never have to use this system, but in the event of an emergency, this may be the fastest was to get information to you.

Am I required to sign up?

No. It is your option to sign-up. All Northwestern State University landline phones are automatically entered into the system, and those landlines will receive voice alerts.

Who receives the emergency alert messages?
Northwestern State University students, faculty, and staff that are registered in the PURPLE ALERT system will be sent the alert. Also secondary contacts as listed by students, faculty and staff.

Will I be charged for text messages?
Maybe. Depending on your cellular provider and the plan you have, you may be charged a nominal fee (like ten or fifteen cents per message) to receive messages on your phone. You will need to check with your cellular provider.

Will my emergency contact information be published?
No, it is only to be used by NSU for notification of an emergency.

Who decides when a PURPLE ALERT message is to be sent?

University Police and key Administrative personnel have been specially trained to determine the circumstances in which the system is used and then initiate the process. The system is used for emergency situations in which there is an immediate risk to the health & safety of the campus community.


What happens when the PURPLE ALERT is activated?

When activated, PURPLE ALERT sends a brief notice about the situation and instructions of what to do. The message is sent via various mechanisms, including cell phone text message, cell phone voice call, landline phone call, and e-mail messages.


So what happens then?

Additional information will be made available to you via University’s website, e-mail, phone, and campus radio and television resources, among other means.


How do I know I’m receiving a PURPLE ALERT message?
PURPLE ALERT” will be in the subject of an e-mail and will be vocalized in a phone message. The messages will be from a telephone number with a 225 area code and the e-mails will be from "alerts@firstcall.net".


Am I going to get inundated by messages from NSU?

No. Strict protocols are in place for use of the PURPLE ALERT system. It will be activated ONLY in the instance of an Emergency in which poses an immediate risk to the health and safety of the campus community. It will also be tested occasionally.

Is my phone set up for text messaging?

If you’re not sure, check with your cellular provider. Standard SMS text messaging protocol will be used to send messages to your phone. Your cellular phone plan will need to accept text message to work properly.

Where is the registration page?
The registration page is located on the NSU home page, and other NSU websites. Look for the PURPLE ALERT logo. Click on the logo and follow the instructions.

Changing your information after you Register:  You can change your information at any time, including deleting yourself from the database.  You will have to complete all information including your name in order to be deleted from the database. 

Can I change my phone numbers after I register?
Yes, after you register you will be sent an e-mail from FIRSTCALL that contains a temporary password. You can click on the PURPLE ALERT logo, and the click on “Update Existing Contact Information”. This will allow you to change any information but your name and e-mail address. You can change your password from the temporary password to a permanent password. Then you will click “Update Information” and your information will be current. It is the responsibility of the registered used to update personal information as it changes.

 

How do I delete my information from the Purple Alert System?

You can go into the Purple Alert website and go to "Update Existing Contact Information"  and delete all your phone numbers and information. This is the quickest route, as you are deleted immediately.

 

Or you can send an e-mail to purple-alert@nsula.edu and request that you be removed from the database.  If you choose the e-mail route, please include your full name, "nsula" e-mail address and any phone numbers that were associated with your purple alert account.  Also please include in your request why you would like to be removed, such as graduated, or not employed at NSU.

 

If you leave NSU for any reason, and you would no longer like to receive alert notifications, please remove yourself from the Purple Alert by using the instructions above.  Otherwise you will continue to receive alert notifications.

 

 

 

Emergency Management Plan

Policy Manual

 

Appendix III

Subject:       

QUICK-REFERENCE MATERIALS

Purple Alert

page App-3-a

 

Purple Alert

 

      Northwestern State University Emergency Notification System

 

 

Instructions to register for Purple Alert

1. Go to https://alertregistration.com/nwsu/  ‐‐ click on Register Contact Information ‐‐

2.Click on “Register Contact Information”. The registration form will be the next screen.

3. University Email Address: Enter your email address and choose the ending—either  “student.nsula.edu” or ”nsula.edu”—depending on your personal e‐mail address.

5. Alternate Email Address: Enter an alternate e‐mail address. This can be your personal e‐mail address or any e‐mail address that you frequently check.

6. Name: Enter your first and last name.

7. Cellular Telephone Number: Enter your current cellular telephone number. Please include area code and phone number.

8. Local Telephone Number: Please enter your residence hall, apartment or local residence phone number. Please include area code and telephone number.

9. Number to a device capable of receiving text messages: Please enter the number to a device what you can receive text messages. This may be your cell phone or any text‐message device.  Please include area code and phone number.

10. Add Secondary Contacts: Is there an additional person that you would like to receive the Purple Alert? Please click the “Add Secondary Contacts” (located just above the University Email Address field on the registration page) and enter that information in the blanks. You will have to enter your personal e‐mail address for the secondary contact.

11. Submit My Contact Information: Once you have entered your information and any secondary contact information, click the “Submit My Contact Information” button.

After you click the Submit My Contact Information Button Information, the next screen will say “Your information has been registered into the Firstcall Network Emergency Notification System.”

You are now registered.

Within a few minutes, you will receive an e‐mail from alerts@firstcall.net that will confirm youhave registered and will give you a temporary password to access your information incase you have the need to make changes.