MU to Participate in Statewide Tornado Drill

Mar. 7, 2017

At 9:55 a.m., Tuesday, March 7, University of Missouri officials will test all components of the Mass Alert and Warning System. This test is in cooperation with the Boone County/Columbia Office of Emergency Management and the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency; it will coincide with the activation of county/city outdoor tornado warning sirens. In the event of bad weather, the test will be postponed until 9:55 a.m., Thursday, March 9.

“The safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and visitors is the top priority of Mizzou, and we encourage everyone to participate by practicing their sheltering plans on the lowest floor in an interior room or hallway away from doorways and windows,” said Gary Ward, vice chancellor of operations at MU. “We regularly test our plans and warning systems when students are on campus and attending classes. The entire system, which includes alert beacons in buildings across campus, computer desktop notifications, text messages and social media postings, will be activated.”

During the test, ALERTUS beacons will sound an alert and flash for 30 seconds. ALERTUS beacons are located in lecture halls, common areas and hallways of all MU residence halls, and most MU classroom buildings and student unions. The drill will test the system’s features, including:

  • Text message alerts to students, faculty and staff who have elected to receive warnings by text.
  • A mass alert email to all university email accounts.
  • Desktop notification to computer screens that have MU’s alert software installed.
  • Messages posted to MU’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
  • An advisory notice on the MU Alert webpage.

Cell phone users will receive a text alert message that will read:

“This is a test of the MU Mass Alert and Warning System.”

Alert emails will include the following message:

“This is a TEST of the MU Mass Alert and Warning System.”

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to update or download the GoMizzou app (Android and iOS), which features a crisis/safety module, and to visit the MU Alert website for instructions on how to receive emergency messages. The MU Alert website also contains a summary of MU’s Emergency Operations Plan and evacuation procedures.