[ptsmith24]

Thought I'd share this here.

From an email I received:

The tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech earlier this year drove
home a clear message -- effective and efficient communication is an
essential component of any emergency plan. In our ongoing effort to
enhance our rapid response capabilities, Georgia Tech will implement
a new communication system for use in emergency situations.

The GT Emergency Notification System (GTENS) allows the Georgia Tech
administration to contact faculty, staff and students via e-mail,
voice and text messaging, alerting the campus to important, time-
sensitive information and offering direction on what action to take
and where to find out more information.

Everyone who has a Georgia Tech e-mail address will now receive
emergency e-mail alerts. However, in order to also receive text
messages and voice mails, we are asking members of the campus
community to provide a mobile phone number by going to Passport at
the following link:

https://passport.gatech.edu.

The information provided is considered confidential and will not be
shared -- it will only be used for GTENS. Additionally, participants
will only be contacted via the system in the event of an emergency.
Since this is a new service, implementation may also require a "test"
message in the initial days.

While emergency e-mail notification is now in place, the voice and
text message capability will be implemented after the first of
September. At that time, you will receive a text (SMS) message asking
you to officially "opt in" for your mobile device.

Participation in the voice message and text SMS component of the new
communication system, though optional, is strongly encouraged.
Contact information or the choice to participate may be changed as
often as necessary by accessing the "Emergency Alert" tab in Passport
at:

https://passport.gatech.edu.

For more information about the system, visit:

http://www.gatech.edu/emergency

Reaching a critical mass of the campus community in a timely manner
is very important during a crisis. Thank you for your support in this
new and important communication system.

Andy Altizer
Director, Homeland Security
Georgia Tech Police Department

I'm not really sure how a text message is going to stop a mass murderer... :?

 

[M249]

They're going to send the shooter a text:

"stop shooting, plz. kthxbye."

 

[ptsmith24]

They're going to send the shooter a text:

"stop shooting, plz. kthxbye."

:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

 

[budder]

ptsmith, I'm sure you can appreciate the usefulness of an "OMG DON'T GO INTO XXXX BUILDING" message.

 

[wsweeks2]

They're going to send the shooter a text:

"stop shooting, plz. kthxbye."

ointlol:

 

[AeroShooter]

They're going to send the shooter a text:

"stop shooting, plz. kthxbye."

He'd probably text back:

FAIL

 

[ptsmith24]

ptsmith, I'm sure you can appreciate the usefulness of an "OMG DON'T GO INTO XXXX BUILDING" message.

Said system is bound to fail somewhere. I can see plenty of suits arising from someone not getting a message (cell phones do that sometimes), etc. I'd rather the school be putting effort into something actually worthwhile such as advocating concealed carry on campus.

There, I feel a little bit better...there's that 'feel' word again (such as 'feel' safe)...

 

[Wiley]

What's Ole' Andy going to do for people like me who are still in a hard wired world? Send Gomer out around the campus screaming 'Citizens arrest!, Citizens arrest! Maybe sic Ernest T. Bass on them?

 

[legacy38]

So much of the media outrage at VT was over the lack of notification concerning the first two murders. I'm sure most institutions are institutions are instituting such systems.

 

[budder]

ptsmith, I'm sure you can appreciate the usefulness of an "OMG DON'T GO INTO XXXX BUILDING" message.

Said system is bound to fail somewhere. I can see plenty of suits arising from someone not getting a message (cell phones do that sometimes), etc. I'd rather the school be putting effort into something actually worthwhile such as advocating concealed carry on campus.

There, I feel a little bit better...there's that 'feel' word again (such as 'feel' safe)...

But it's a negligible cost for something with potential for real gain (saving lives). The lawsuits will be inevitable, regardless of what the school does.

 

[ptsmith24]

ptsmith, I'm sure you can appreciate the usefulness of an "OMG DON'T GO INTO XXXX BUILDING" message.

Said system is bound to fail somewhere. I can see plenty of suits arising from someone not getting a message (cell phones do that sometimes), etc. I'd rather the school be putting effort into something actually worthwhile such as advocating concealed carry on campus.

There, I feel a little bit better...there's that 'feel' word again (such as 'feel' safe)...

But it's a negligible cost for something with potential for real gain (saving lives). The lawsuits will be inevitable, regardless of what the school does.

I refuse to rely on a governmental system to guarantee my safety.

edit: it also could be used in defense of a no guns on campus policy... "we have this system in place, so why do you have to carry?". See what I'm saying?

 

[mmmTang]

I'm not really sure how a text message is going to stop a mass murderer... :?

It sure as hell won't stop someone from pulling the trigger, but at least most of the campus will get to hear about it and might be able to get away from it or lock down their buildings. Up until now there wasn't a quick way to hear about it. It will cause a mass panic, but wouldn't you want to know about a shooter murdering people somewhere close to you? I'm not slamming you here ptsmith24, I agree that I should just be allowed to carry here, but at least they're starting to make an effort to get the news out. I agree that the effort is completely ineffective at actually stopping someone and that hollow points are the answer.

There's no way in hell the administration here or at virtually any other college is going to advocate concealed carry on campus by anyone. I'm on the General Faculty Assembly here at Tech and I can safely say that any efforts to change the rules here to a pro-gun stance will be voted down. I've had a few off the record talks with some higher ups here and they're all opposed to concealed carry. You don't get to higher up positions of power in the university system by having conservative or pro-gun beliefs.

 

[mmmTang]

My wife and I are faculty on the research side of Tech. We work in the same building. I'm about to switch to a much more lucrative job in the private sector that has the same mission as my current job. Part of my reason for switching is that I'll be 1 mile from campus and will once again be allowed to use my right to carry. If my wife finds out there is a shooter on campus, I'll get the message quickly and will be here within 5 minutes to either get her or provide opposition to the unlucky sob that picked this building to shoot up. So, at least for now I'm slightly happy that they're starting to take this more seriously. But, it's just a start.

We first have to push to get legislation passed that allows carry by GFL holders on campus. Even if the administration was pro-gun, they couldn't pass any rules regarding carrying guns anyways until the legislation is in place. Once legislation is in place, lawsuits by GFL holders will follow that challenge the administration's anti-gun position. That's what liberals do to get their policies in place, and they've been pretty effective with it. We should just do the same thing.

 

[ptsmith24]

I agree that it is more effective than, say, a campus gun ban. But, it seems like another "feel good" policy that doesn't really accomplish as much as it needs to. I'm 200+ miles from the main campus. I'm not saying "it's their problem", but a system such as this really would be pointless for someone like me.

 

[mmmTang]

They might actually be thinking about active shooters now

Here's an email from 7/30 from the GTPD:

"In an effort to enhance campus safety, the Georgia Tech Police Department will be participating in training exercises near the Burge Apartment Complex on North Avenue on the afternoons of July 31 - August 2. The training will include realistic and stressful scenarios involving role players and Simunition that will produce firearm sound effects. If you notice increased Georgia Tech Police Department activity during this time period and near this location, be aware that this is part of the training.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Georgia Tech Police Department at 404-894-2500.

Chief Teresa Crocker
Director, Security and Police"

I so wanted to take part in this. You've got to admit that it would be fun to run around a building with Simunition guns.

 

[EagleEye920]

We first have to push to get legislation passed that allows carry by GFL holders on campus.

Wasn't the legislature in Virginia pushing a bill that allowed permit holders to carry and then prohibited the schools from banning firearms??. I think they got close if I recall correctly.

A list like this would not have helped one of the people at VT. Would campus have been shut down after the dorm shooting? classes cancelled?? doubtful. how many people in those classes who got a Text Message could have really done anything different from what they did?? To me, creating the list is wasted time and effort that could be directed to real solutions.

I didn't sign up for the list and don't plan to. To me, it's like this. If everyone signs up for it, the Homeland Security Team will be like, "Yippee, We're making progress." But if instead, we said, "NO!! WE WANT GUNS!! :groupprotest: ", and rejected all other ideas, then we have a better shot at getting our rights.

Unfortunately, Georgia Tech is probably the LAST place in the state that this will work. Most people here are out of state or international. There aren't many of us from rural georgia who are pro-gun. Now if Georgia Southern or UGA were to initiate it, maybe some progress could be made.

 

[ptsmith24]

Re: They might actually be thinking about active shooters no

Here's an email from 7/30 from the GTPD:

"In an effort to enhance campus safety, the Georgia Tech Police Department will be participating in training exercises near the Burge Apartment Complex on North Avenue on the afternoons of July 31 - August 2. The training will include realistic and stressful scenarios involving role players and Simunition that will produce firearm sound effects. If you notice increased Georgia Tech Police Department activity during this time period and near this location, be aware that this is part of the training.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Georgia Tech Police Department at 404-894-2500.

Chief Teresa Crocker
Director, Security and Police"

I so wanted to take part in this. You've got to admit that it would be fun to run around a building with Simunition guns.

It's good to see them doing something relevant. I noticed Orange County Sheriffs in Florida doing drills at NAVAIR when I was there.

 

[Rammstein]

I'll tell ya what though.....it will be a very eerie day in class when everyone in the room has their cell phone start vibrating at once.

 

[ptsmith24]

I'll tell ya what though.....it will be a very eerie day in class when everyone in the room has their cell phone start vibrating at once.

That's when you grab towards the holster and... well, nevermind... :?

 

[budder]

ptsmith, I'm sure you can appreciate the usefulness of an "OMG DON'T GO INTO XXXX BUILDING" message.

Said system is bound to fail somewhere. I can see plenty of suits arising from someone not getting a message (cell phones do that sometimes), etc. I'd rather the school be putting effort into something actually worthwhile such as advocating concealed carry on campus.

There, I feel a little bit better...there's that 'feel' word again (such as 'feel' safe)...

But it's a negligible cost for something with potential for real gain (saving lives). The lawsuits will be inevitable, regardless of what the school does.

I refuse to rely on a governmental system to guarantee my safety.

edit: it also could be used in defense of a no guns on campus policy... "we have this system in place, so why do you have to carry?". See what I'm saying?

No one said anything about any "guarantee."

I also don't see the second one happening, though I would believe it.