On Jan. 28, a false alarm notification warning students of an active attacker on campus was sent out due to the wrong button being pushed during an update with the university’s Emergency Notification System (ENS) templates.
Two weeks after the accidental alert, Carleton released a five-point action plan intended to improve the ENS and address safety concerns. The plan includes adding more specific instructions to emergency notifications—which will take into consideration students’ locations during an emergency—and Campus Safety engaging in safety training and awareness opportunities, according to the update published on Carleton’s website on Feb. 11.
The release of this plan is a good first step and shows that Carleton has been paying attention to students’ concerns about campus safety. However, as a part of its plan to improve campus safety and the ENS, Carleton should consider running lockdown drills over the entire campus to make sure that students, staff, and faculty know exactly what to do in the case of a lockdown occurring on campus.
In the case of a real active attacker on campus, students and faculty must know what procedures to follow to prevent chaos from ensuing. Ensuring that students and faculty have practiced the campus safety protocol—and know how to maximize their safety during an emergency—should be an integral part of Carleton’s plan to address the safety concerns which were brought about by the false alarm.
