Cornell's emergency notifications systems, including the sirens/public address (PA) system, will be tested Wednesday, Nov. 12, beginning at 12:10 p.m.

The test is part of an ongoing effort to develop effective emergency communications on campus, said Richard McDaniel, vice president for risk management and public safety. Full-scale testing of the emergency notification systems will be done at least once every semester, he added.

The siren/PA system test will begin with an alert tone followed by the broadcast of a 25-second message that it is a test. The message will be followed by a 60-second alert tone. A sample of the alert tone can be heard at http://www.epr.cornell.edu.

All students, faculty and staff who have registered to receive emergency information via text or voice message will receive a test message with the caller ID of 35842; the message will be that it is a test of the Cornell Emergency Notification system.

Students can register to receive emergency notifications at https://selfservice.adminapps.cornell.edu/studentcenter/ where they should select the links for Emergency Contact Info and Emergency Mass Notification. Employees should go to https://ee.ohr.cornell.edu and click on the Personal Information tab and select the links for EMN Phone Number and Emergency Contact(s).

What to do when the sirens sound
If there is an immediate threat to the safety of people on campus, Cornell's emergency mass notification systems will be activated.

If the sirens are sounded, immediately follow the instructions given after the warning tone goes off.

If you receive a text or voice message, immediately follow the instructions given in the message.

When you are in a safe location, go to http://www.cornell.edu/about/status for additional information and instructions.

The November test will be the fourth trial of the campus voice and text messaging system. The previous test was in April. This will be the first time the sirens/PA system is being tested simultaneously.

"In addition to assessing the performance of our emergency notification systems, these tests should serve as a reminder that everyone on campus has a role to play in preparing for and responding to emergencies," McDaniel said.