UIS-Alert Emergency Notification System

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Do You:

  • want to be notified in case of a campus emergency?
  • wish you had a “panic button” on your mobile device to contact Campus Police?
  • think a campus walking escort would be useful?
  • want to help Campus Police to expedite a law-enforcement response, but remain anonymous?

If you answered Yes to any one of the above question, please consider signing up for the UIS-Alert Emergency Notification System.

Who May Use This Service

Students, faculty, and staff of the University of Illinois Springfield can register to receive messages from RaveAlert. The system will only be used for emergency communications.

  • Sign up is simple and options can be changed by you at any time.

Tech Support for RaveAlert

Please contact the UIS ITS Client Services with questions or problems using RaveAlert:

Features of UIS-Alert Emergency Notification System

RaveAlert

RaveAlert is an emergency notification service that is used to quickly send important messages directly to the campus community. The system may utilize text messages, emails, social media accounts, digital signage on campus, and informational banners on the uis.edu webpage in order to ensure a thorough delivery of critical information.  The system will only be used for emergency communications.

Due to carrier limitations on the number of characters allowed, text alert messages will generally use short phrases similar to the following:

  • HOLD – This would generally be followed by the directive, “In your room or area, clear the halls” and is the protocol used when the hallways would need to be kept clear of occupants.
  • SECURE – Followed by the directive, “Get inside, lock outside doors.” This is the protocol used to safeguard people within the buildings on campus.
  • LOCKDOWN – Followed by “Locks, lights, out of sight.” This is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep occupants quiet and in place.
  • Evacuate – This may be followed by a location and is used to provide broad directions to move people from one area to another.
  • Shelter – This would be followed with hazard information and a safety strategy for group and self-protections.
  • RUN, HIDE, FIGHT – Followed by information provided to police related to threat.

When appropriate, text messages will provide details on where to find additional, potentially more detailed, information as it becomes available.

Guardian

Guardian allows any user with a smart phone to activate a “panic button” that will immediately alert police to a problem and open communications between the user and the Campus Police. This connection provides a GPS location (if active on phone) for the Campus Police to aid in locating the user.

Additionally, Guardian has a precautionary timer that acts as a digital alternative to a campus walking escort. A user will be able to set the estimated time needed to walk to a destination. If that time expires and the user has not canceled the timer, the Campus Police will call to ensure that the user is safe.

EyeWitness

EyeWitness allows anyone who witnesses a crime to initiate a text message conversation with a Public Safety officer. This service allows anyone to text the Campus Police to expedite a law-enforcement response. EyeWitness offer tipsters anonymity, allowing students to discretely provide timely, critical information without letting those in his/her vicinity in on the conversation.

UIS-Alert FAQ

How many messages will I receive from the UIS-Alert service?

There will be at least one test message sent each semester to ensure that the UIS-Alert service is functioning correctly. Additional messages will be sent if the Campus Police determines there is a current or imminent threat to life and/or safety on campus.

If I didn’t enter my phone number during registration, can I go back and enter it at a later time?

Yes. To enter your mobile phone, visit the My Account tab, and click the Add link within the Mobile Contacts module.

Can I opt out from UIS-Alert?

You can choose not to receive text messages or email to your personal email accounts. However, as a matter of public safety you will always receive UIS-Alert email messages at your NetID@uis.edu email address.

How do I change my mobile number?

Visit the My Account tab, and click the Edit link next to the mobile number you would like to change. Enter the new mobile number you want to use in the fields provided, and click Continue. You will then be asked to confirm your mobile phone carrier.

When changing Mobile Contact (1) [your primary mobile number], you will receive a text message containing a 4-digit confirmation code. You must enter this confirmation code within this website to complete the primary mobile phone registration process.

I did not receive the confirmation code text message. What do I do?

Once you enter your mobile phone number on the on the My Account tab, UIS-Alert will attempt to send you a text message containing a 4-digit confirmation code. This code is used to verify your wireless number and carrier. Confirmation codes are only sent to your primary mobile number [Mobile Contact (1)].

If you do not receive the confirmation code within a couple of minutes, visit the My Account tab and click the Click here to resend now link. If you still fail to receive the confirmation text message, click the Edit link associated with Mobile Contact (1), and confirm your mobile number and carrier are correct, making any changes necessary.

If you do not receive a confirmation text message after following the steps above, your mobile carrier may be enforcing a premium text messaging block on your account. To remedy this, contact your carrier and ask to have text messages from shortcodes 67283 and 226787 delivered to your mobile device.

If I haven’t verified my mobile phone number. Will I still receive UIS-Alert text messages?

Most likely you will still receive text messages. However, verifying your number is preferred because it provides an extra level of confirmation that your mobile device can successfully receive text messages from the UIS-Alert system.

If you already have my Registration email address, why do you need a Preferred email address?

Specifying a Preferred email address allows for the delivery of UIS-Alert email messages to addresses other than your university email address. If you frequently use an email account other than the one specified within the Registration email field, we recommend you add these addresses as Preferred email addresses.

Preferred email addresses may be added at any time within the My Account tab under Email Contacts.

How do I change my Preferred email address?

Visit the My Account tab. Within the Email Contacts section, click the Edit link. Follow the instructions for entering your new Preferred email address.

How do I opt-out of receiving text messages on my phone?

There are two ways to stop receiving messages on your phone:

Click on the Groups tab and use the Text / Email checkbox options to specify your message delivery preferences.

Text STOP to 67283 or 226787 from your registered mobile phone. You will no longer receive ANY messages from UIS-Alert. Use the STOP command with caution, as this will also block delivery of Broadcast Alert messages.

Can I send myself a test message?

Yes, this is encouraged. After logging into the UIS-Alert Emergency Notification System you can click the Test button next to any of your methods of contact.

What types of phone numbers can I add to the UIS-Alert system (e.g. international, Google Voice, pagers)?

Only 10-digit, US and Canadian phone numbers can be added to UIS-Alert.

While Google Voice is able to receive SMS (text) messages from other phones, it is unable to receive SMS messages that are sent from SMS short codes such as those used by UIS-Alert (67283 and 226787). This is a limitation of the Google Voice service.

If your pager is able to receive email messages, then it can receive UIS-Alert messages. If your pager is only able to receive messages sent directly to its 10-digit number, then verify that your vendor is one of the supported mobile carriers.

Which mobile carriers are supported?

The following mobile carriers are supported:

  • 3 Rivers Carrier PCS
  • ACS Wireless
  • Advantage Cellular
  • Aliant Telecom
  • Alltel
  • American Messaging
  • Appalachian Wireless
  • AT&T
  • AT&T Legacy
  • Bell Mobility
  • Bluegrass Cellular
  • Boost Mobile
  • Carolina West Wireless
  • Cellcom
  • Cellular 29 Plus
  • Cellular One Dobson
  • Cellular Properties
  • Cellular South
  • Centennial Wireless
  • Cincinnati Bell
  • Consumer Cellular
  • Corr Wireless
  • DTS Cellular
  • Edge Wireless
  • Golden State Cellular
  • Helio
  • Illinois Valley Cellular
  • Iowa Wireless Services
  • Lyrix Wireless
  • Metro PCS
  • MetroCall Pagers
  • Microcell Connexions
  • Mobi PCS
  • MTS Allstream
  • Net10
  • Nextel
  • Northwest Missouri Cellular
  • NTELOS
  • Plateau Telecomm
  • Pocket Communications
  • Qwest Wireless
  • Revol
  • Rogers Wireless
  • Rural Cellular (Unicel)
  • SilverStar
  • Skytel
  • Southern Linc
  • Sprint
  • SUNCOM WIRELESS
  • T-Mobile
  • Telus
  • Tracfone
  • U.S. Cellular
  • Union Wireless
  • USA Mobility
  • Verizon Wireless
  • VIAERO Wireless
  • Virgin Mobile Canada
  • VIRGIN MOBILE USA
  • Westlink Communications

Why can’t I use my Cricket number to register for UIS-Alert?

Cricket is partners with Leap Wireless. Cricket and Leap use telephone numbers provided by a number of other carriers. Sometimes the automated carrier look-up system identifies your carrier as the one that supplied the number originally. If this happens, you can change your carrier within UIS-Alert by choosing Cricket/Leap from the choices in the drop-down menu during phone registration.

Often, Cricket and Leap subscribers have what is called a “premium messaging block” placed on their accounts. Cricket does this so that you do not get charged accidentally with unexpected per-message fees from certain providers. As a reminder, UIS-Alert does not charge any per-message fees. Premium messaging blocks will not prevent you from receiving text messages from other phone numbers, only from companies. If you have already registered your Cricket number with UIS-Alert but are still waiting for a confirmation code, you should call Cricket/Leap and ask that the SMS shortcodes 62783 and 226787 not be blocked. Those are the codes UIS-Alert uses to send emergency text messages.

Why can’t I use my Net10 number to register for UIS-Alert?

Net10 is a subsidiary of NEXTECH Communications. NEXTECH uses telephone numbers provided by a number of other carriers. Sometimes the automated carrier look-up system identifies your carrier as the one that supplied the number originally. If this happens, you can change your carrier within UIS-Alert by choosing NEXTECH/Net10 from the choices in the drop-down menu during phone registration.

How do I change my password?

Your password is the same as your University Active Directory password. If you need to change it, please go to the ITS Password Reset page.