Students at The University of Memphis can look forward to being safe, thanks to new campus security devices, such as an outdoor warning system and Tiger Text.
The outdoor warning system consists of three $18,000 towers, which in addition to having a siren, includes a voice-alert to warn students of dangerous situations. The entire system is connected to the county's emergency warning system, in addition to the police station on campus.
"It's composed of three speakers attached to large poles," said Director of Administration and Business Analysis Teresa Hartnett.
"Two of the towers have been placed on the main campus, and the other is at the Park Avenue campus."
The towers sound an alarm at about 75 decibels, which is 25 decibels softer than the average fire alarm, and warn not only of crisis situations and severe weather, but also of train accidents.
In addition to the sirens, students can be warned over their cell phones. Tiger Text is a free service that will send alerts in the form of a text message directly to a student's cell phone. Close to 1,500 people signed up to receive these campus warnings thus far.
Another issue with Tiger Text is in the classrooms. Many teachers still won't allow cell phones to be on during class.
"It's really up to the professor," Hartnett said. "Even if you can't have a cell phone on during class, a student near a window could hear the outdoor warning system. A phone call will also be sent to each department. Either way the warning will be recognized. That's why we have so many different options. One option will not work for everyone."
The third way for students to stay informed is the safety forums. Many students in the past have gotten some helpful tips from campus police officers. Some fraternities and sororities have even asked to have safety sessions at their meetings.
"We've been doing them for about six or seven years. Since then we have seen an increase in calls. People tend to call more and call quicker for one thing," Myers said.
The next Safety Forum will be late September or early October.
"We like to give people a chance to settle in so they can actually go to the session," said Derek Myers, deputy director of public safety.
One of Myers' main safety tips is to not leave belongings unattended.
"Most crimes tend to be property crimes," Myers said. "We remind everyone to not leave their doors unlocked to talk to a colleague or friend. It's an opportunity for anyone to come in."
In order to prevent future crimes, Myers encourages everyone to report anything out of the ordinary to the campus police.
"Something as simple as, 'Hey that guy looks suspicious,' could help," Myers said.
Even President Shirley Raines has asked students to take in what is going on around them.
"The key factor in how we react and respond to crises is each individual on this campus," said Raines. "Your observations, your alertness, your own personal preparedness can be invaluable to the prevention or management of a crisis. Please don't hesitate to report to University authorities (University Police at 678-HELP) anything you believe is worthy of investigation."
