After the Virginia Tech shootings in April, the need for mass emergency alert systems has proved to be a priority among many universities across the nation.
Tech itself has integrated the VT Alerts system, an emergency notification system that sends messages via text and voice messages to non-VT phones, e-mails to non-VT accounts and instant messages through AOL, Yahoo!, and MSN. Students, staff and faculty may voluntarily sign up to be alerted by this system. Additionally, a siren system has been introduced to notify those outside on campus that there is an emergency situation.