ECAlert is the name chosen by Emmanuel University for the emergency mass notification system made available through the vendor, SendWordNow. Effective communication is one of the major challenges in emergency management. ECAlert will be used to improve our ability to communicate prior to, during, and after emergencies. EC students, faculty, and staff with a valid ManeID can register up to three telephone numbers and two email addresses to receive emergency alerts. SendWordNow is capable of sending out thousands of messages within minutes.
ECAlert will not be used for non-emergency notifications such as lane closures, crime updates, situations that have been contained, situations where a threat does not exist, situations where notification is merely a convenience or other situations when email announcements are the most appropriate communication method.
ECAlert will not replace daily email annoucements for non-urgent messages.
ECAlert will be tested twice a year to check the system effectivenessand to validate accuracy.
Additional information about emergency situations when ECAlert is activated will be posted on the EC homepage.
ECAlert will only be used when there is a severe threat to public safety and health of the entire campus that has not been contained or controlled and when immediate action is required on the part of the recipient group(s), (e.g. chemical spills impacting public health, tornado warnings, active shooters, etc.). ECAlert may also be used to provide weather updates which may effect class cancellations, exam changes for finals, or other important updates that would need immediate action.
ECAlert is administered by the Office of Student Life. However, several EC departments are involved in the project including the Office of the President, VP for Academic Affairs, VP for Finance, VP for Development, Director of Campus Operations, and the Director of Information Technology (ITec). Only authorized representatives from the previously mentioned departments can send emergency messages using ECAlert.
Is it difficult to register for ECAlert?
ECAlert is part of the EC student checklist and is required for activation of your student account. All that is needed to register is go to your student checklist in the CRIS registration system to add your phone numbers and email addresses.
What if I do not register for ECAlert?
If you are an actively enrolled student during the current semester and you do not register your notification method on the ECAlert system, we will automatically send all notifications to your EC and other email addresses, and call the listed home and cell number from your student record.
How are my notification methods updated?
At the beginning of each semester the active student notification phone numbers and email addresses are uploaded to SendWordNow after the drop/add period. In the event you need to make a change to your notifications, contact the Office of Student Life to make the corrections.
Can I opt out of the notification?
You may opt out at any time by changing your ECAlert options from the checklist in CRIS. If this is after drop/add please contact Student Life to make this change effective immediately, otherwise, your change will be effective at the next drop/add.
Can I include “long distance” phone numbers?
Nationwide numbers are accepted. The system will not accommodate international numbers.
Can I receive ECAlert text messages on my cell phone?
Yes. You can choose to receive both a voice phone call to your cell phone and a text message to your cell phone. If your cell phone supports SMS messaging you can receive the message to your phone as an SMS message.
Who will have access to the information entered into ECAlert?
A ECAlert is administered by the Office of Student Life. However, the Administration team, and Office of Information Technology (ITec) are involved with the project. Only a few authorized individuals from ITec and Emmanuel University Administrators can access your information and send emergency messages using ECAlert.
Will my information be sold to telemarketers?
No, neither Emmanuel University nor SendWordNow will share or sell contact information belonging to students or staff members. For more details, please refer to SendWordNow’s privacy and confidentiality statement online.
