Classes are back in session. But is your school’s emergency notification system ready? Now’s the time to tweak safety notification policies — before an emergency comes up.

The University of Georgia’s (UGA) Security Manager John Newton outlined three common mistakes in using emergency notification systems at the School Safety Advocacy Council’s annual conference in Orlando. He also offered solutions that UGA implemented to make their alert system more effective.

Problem #1: Overusing the system.  Students may ignore the system if it’s used too often for non-emergency situations. A true safety warning going unheeded could turn into a tragedy. Quick fix: Use another channel to distribute non-threatening messages, such as group e-mails or PA systems.

Problem #2: Inappropriate message lengths. Outgoing voice mail messages vary in length – especially with cell phones that list options to page the person. If the alert is too short, the voice mail greeting will outlast it, and the intended recipient will never receive the emergency notification. Quick fix: The ideal message should be about 30 seconds.

Problem #3: Different phones have different text message character limits. If some of the alert gets cut off at the end, it may send recipients into a panic. The school may be bombarded with calls from frantic students and parents. Quick fix: Stick to the average limit — 160 characters per text — and direct recipients to further information via another channel, such as the Web site or local TV and radio stations.

How does your school keep its emergency notification system in top-notch shape? Share your tips in the comments section below.

Tags: emergency notification systems, school liability, student safety, University of Georgia