Campus Safety
About Emergency Notification System (ENS)
CWU has established an Emergency Notification System (ENS) which provides multiple notice methods to alert individuals about situations that may pose a substantial threat to our community.
Campus safety is a vital concern at Central Washington University. The current components of the CWU ENS include website and desktop alerts, email alert updates, voice mail notification, text messaging, and public address systems (PA's) in police vehicles and designated buildings. In addition, CWU also has Emergency Blue Light phones located throughout campus and information available to the community regarding personal responses instructions should an emergency occur.
CWU Alert!
One of the most important lessons from the study of past acts of violence and natural disasters on our nation's campuses is the need for redundant communications systems that convey clear and consistent instructions to the campus community. After months of studying comprehensive notification systems Central Washington University contracted with Connect ED/Blackboard to establish CWU Alert!
CWU Alert! combines text messaging, email and telephone messages to be sent instantly to campus community subscribers whenever there is a campus emergency. While this technology could be used for many routine types of notification, CWU Alert! will be activated when an incident poses a threat to your immediate safety. This is important, so when you see the message header CWU Alert! please read the message and respond accordingly. In all types of emergencies use your best judgment to protect yourself. It is my hope that CWU Alert! if ever needed in a real emergency, will provide the vital information necessary to help you make decisions to enhance your safety.
Please take advantage of the emergency preparedness training offered by the Department of Public Safety and Police Services throughout the year. Our CWU Notification website has several links to sites and information to help you understand how to stay safe in an emergency. The CWU Department of Public Safety and Police Services continue to embrace a community policing style of law enforcement that empowers the community and the police to work together. CWU Alert! will enhance our commitment to one another.
CWU Alert! is an internal first-response system, and is intended to notify the students, faculty and staff of CWU. In the event of a safety related incident or hazard at CWU, the CWU Alert! System may be used to notify students, faculty and staff of the occurring situation. Personnel on this system can be notified via email, phone call (land-line, cellular), and/or text message. All students, faculty and staff are automatically enrolled in this system. This system is not open to members of the public.
Rave Guardian App
This is an add-on to the CWU Alert! system. All students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to download the Rave Guardian app to their mobile devices and begin using on campus. Downloading this free app to your phone allows the user to receive emergency alerts via WiFi. The Rave Guardian app also has additional safety features listed in the bulleted list below.
Download App Now!
The Rave Guardian app is available from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Once you download it to your mobile device, authenticate your account with your student or employee email address and password, as well as your phone number.
Once open, Rave Guardian will display a simple interface with the following icons:
- Inbox -- Manage official CWU emergency messages
- Guardians -- Create a network of guardians, or "social angels," to look over you; including family, friends, and others you trust
- Safety Timer -- Allows Guardians to access your status and location so they can alert police if you fail to check in at a designated time
- Campus Resources - Connects you directly to campus emergency and safety resources
- Call 9-1-1 -- Easy access to a voice call in case of an emergency
- Travel Advisory -- Direct link to the Washington State DOT Travel Alerts for current status
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