DURHAM -- Duke University will activate the sirens on its outdoor warning system Wednesday as part of testing its DukeALERT mass emergency notification system.
The event is a periodic, functional test of the system, said Aaron Graves, associate vice president for campus safety and security. While not a drill, it's meant to raise awareness among students, faculty and staff about how they would be notified in the event of a life-threatening emergency like a tornado sighting or an active shooter on campus.
"We hope we never need to activate the system for an emergency, but if we do, we'll have the tools in place to best respond and immediately notify our community," Graves said.
Wednesday's test will begin at about 10 a.m. with the activation of nine outdoor warning sirens across campus, followed by a recorded test message. People outdoors on campus and in nearby neighborhoods may hear loud tones, as well as live and recorded messages announcing the test. "Please do not call 9-1-1," Graves said.
As the sirens sound, a test announcement will also be posted on Duke's emergency Web site -- emergency.duke.edu. Soon after, community members will receive a DukeALERT e-mail, and if they registered for Duke's text messaging service, they'll get a text message. Duke's information line 684-INFO will also provide a recorded message.
NCCU law school honored
CHARLOTTE -- The N.C. Central University School of Law was honored recently at the sixth annual Thurgood Marshall College Fund Awards of Excellence Dinner at the Westin Hotel here. An inscribed plaque was presented to Assistant Dean Ronald "Steve" Douglas '82 in recognition of the School of Law's 70th anniversary.
School of Law alumni and students who attended the event included Attorney Anthony Fox '82, and the Honorable Wanda Bryant '82, both members of the School of Law Board of Visitors, and third year students Mr. Clinton Hicks and Ms. Kahlida Lloyd.
The Awards of Excellence Dinner recognized leaders nationwide who exemplify professional and civic excellence and those who share the late Justice Thurgood Marshall's concern for civil rights and his passion for justice and education.
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Inc., named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, was established in 1987 and represents 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities and six law schools located in 22 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands with a population of over 235,000 students.
Contact Mark Donovan at mdonovan@heraldsun.com or (919) 419-6655.
