A prolonged siren, audible from all over campus, echoed across the University of Richmond at 1:20 p.m. Monday as part of an official test of the new warning system, installed after the four-hour May 6 lockdown.
The new high-powered system uses 120-decibel speakers, placed in the bell tower of Boatwright Memorial Library and on the roof of Booker Hall. The siren was preceded by a recorded announcement calling attention to the test.
“After the May 6 incident, we realized that during an emergency students walking around campus would not know what was going on unless they had signed up for the text messaging system,” said Brian Eckert, director of media and public relations.
The May 6 lockdown was initiated after an intruder entered the library disguised as a police officer with a pellet gun. A 19-year-old suspect was arrested a day later, but school officials noted the difficulty in informing people who didn’t receive alerts by text message, phone call or e-mail.
The system cost the school about $100,000, and an additional $80,000 will be spent on installing warning speakers inside Tyler Haynes Commons, the library, the Weinstein Center for Recreation and Wellness and the Heilman Dining Center, university officials said.
The audible warning system replaced the Tornado Warning System that malfunctioned on Oct. 6. It was installed in 2006 after a 2004 tornado during Tropical Storm Gaston caused damage to buildings on campus.
Contact staff writer David Larter at david.larter@richmond.edu
Nov. 20, 2008
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