As a parent of a college student, tragedies at many college campuses probably have you wondering, "Will my student be safe at Michigan?" The University of Michigan is committed to protecting the safety and security of our community. Emergencies, disasters, accidents, injuries, and crimes can occur anywhere without warning at any time.
U-M has an emergency alert system for urgent, mass notifications. U-M Emergency Alert keeps students, faculty, and staff informed about major active emergencies on campus. This system will be activated without undue delay by the Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS). Alerts will be delivered via:
- Text message (SMS)
- Voice message
- U-M digital displays
- Websites: umich.edu and dpss.umich.edu
- Michigan App
- DPSS App
- Twitter (@umichdpss)
Examples of Major Emergencies
U-M Emergency Alert usually won't be used for localized incidents within a building, such as a small fire. This system is reserved for campus-wide emergencies, which include but are not limited to:
- An active violence incident, such as an active shooter
- A tornado warning for Washtenaw County
- A severe thunderstorm with wind greater than 75 miles per hour
- A major spill of hazardous material(s)
Active students, faculty, and staff, including employees of Michigan Medicine, automatically receive U-M Emergency Alert email notifications. They may choose to also register up to four telephone numbers for voice message notification and an additional four cell phone numbers for text message notification via Wolverine Access. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, visitors, patients, vendors, community members, and others not affiliated with the university may also choose to receive alerts sent via the Michigan App.
For more information regarding emergency preparedness at U-M, visit dpss.umich.edu. It is our hope that you will use this information as a resource to help prepare your student for emergencies.