The sound volume of the July 10 air whistle test on the University of Missouri-Rolla campus remained inadequate following efforts to increase the volume. Faculty and staff at several locations on campus reported being unable to hear the whistle or hearing a whistle that was not loud enough to penetrate to the interiors of many campus buildings.

Physical facilities staff have begun the process of finding a larger whistle capable of producing a louder sound. They hope to have the whistle in place and ready to test prior to the start of the fall semester in August.

University Police is in the process of finalizing an Emergency Action Plan that will be sent to each department on campus. The plan can be customized to fit each department’s structure. Once it is in place, all faculty and staff should be familiar with their department’s procedures, says UMR Police Chief Bill Bleckman.

The whistle is being installed as part of the on-going plan to improve campus security. The alarm will be used as a campuswide alert system. It will be activated only in the case of a critical incident that requires immediate notification of the campus.

The whistle will serve as an alert, notifying those on campus that a crisis event is taking place and to remind them to seek further information. The campus is exploring options for a text-messaging system that could provide detailed information to subscribers. In addition, information will be made readily available on the UMR website and on UMR’s two crisis information phone lines: 341-7888 for faculty and staff, and 341-MINE for students.

When fall semester classes begin in August, campus officials plan to test the system on a monthly basis. The test is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month.

For more information please contact UMR Police at 573-341-4300 or email police@mst.edu.