MU to Test Emergency Beacon System

November 21st, 2013

COLUMBIA, Mo. ­— At 9 a.m., Monday, Nov. 25, University of Missouri officials will test ALERTUS, the new beacon alert system that has been installed on campus. MU officials have installed more than 250 beacons in buildings throughout campus. The beacons are designed to alert anyone in the vicinity to an emergency, including weather emergencies and violent individuals.

During the test, the beacons will emit a light and siren while displaying a written message: “This is a test of the Alertus system. If this were a real emergency, you would go to http://mualert.missouri.edu for more information.”

“Safety is our No. 1 priority,” MU Police Chief Jack Watring said. “These new beacons are one more tool that we can use in the event of an emergency. While we work hard to keep the campus safe, it is the responsibility of everyone to take preventative action as well as report suspicious people or circumstances they observe. Together, we can make MU a safe campus for our staff, faculty, students and visitors.”

Campus officials anticipate installing additional beacons as funds become available. All components of MU’s emergency alert system are tested periodically.