Final Report of Emergency Communication Systems for Florida University and Community College Campuses

This report studies the current emergency communications system for Florida higher education institutions which do not have PA systems that are similar to the K-12 schools. Universities and Colleges require systems and procedures to rapidly pass critical information in emergency situations to all buildings classrooms, laboratories, and offices to alert students, faculty and staff regarding emergency situations such as a terrorist event, active shooter, bomb threat, hazmat release, or natural event such as tornado. Three important criteria are relevant to campus alert/notification systems: (1) provide an alert to the campus population as quickly as possible; (2) alert and inform the campus population in multiple areas with different instructions that could change rapidly; (3) provide at least a means of basic communications under extreme situations such as a power outage and/or downed telephone service. These criteria must also consider the limitations of the disabled.