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Emergency & Safety

UNCW Alert Messages

Emergency Information Channels

The campus warning siren system consists of five strategically placed sirens that warn the university community to take shelter in a major emergency, such as a severe weather event like a tornado.

When you hear the siren, you should take shelter indoors in a safe location immediately. Seek information from a variety of sources such as the UNCW social media, university email or the UNCW homepage. Information will be posted as soon as it is available. Wait for an "all clear" siren or message.

Learn all about the sirens

This is the official source, along with the university’s social media feeds, of emergency information and statements/responses from the university. Other units on campus may share information posted on the homepage and via these feeds. Please be sure you are relying on only official university messaging during emergency situations.

Don’t assume something is accurate because you read about it on social media via non-UNCW sources.

Go to the UNCW homepage

Notifications are sent by email to employees and students via their campus inboxes.

Phone calls and/or text messages are sent via UNCW Alert. Students are automatically included on this distribution list, but faculty and staff must opt in.

Parents and the public may sign up for UNCW Alert notifications. After registering for this service, users will receive UNCW Alert text messages, phone calls and/or emails when they are issued by the university to all UNCW students and to employees who have opted in for the service.

Social media, and Facebook in particular, is often the fastest way for students, employees and parents to receive updates, which are usually posted in conjunction with campus emails to students and employees. X (formerly Twitter) and UNCW Instagram often supplement the messaging found on the UNCW Facebook page.

UNCW Alert is a special website devoted to emergency updates during long-term emergencies. Users who visit UNCW's homepage during an emergency will likely be directed to the UNCW Alert site for all the latest information.

The hotline – 910.962.3991 or 888.657.5751 – is activated only in situations of a full-scale safety or weather emergency. It reflects information already available via the online resources listed above and is meant to serve those who don’t have easy web access.

Responders: Please use the link below to find information you need to assist you in an emergency involving UNCW.

See Information for Emergency Responders

 

LiveSafe

As part of UNCW’s continuous commitment to enhancing campus safety, the UNCW Police Department has spearheaded a partnership with LiveSafe, a security app that empowers both individuals and communities.

Know Who to Call

Seasonal Safety

Atlantic hurricane season is June 1-Nov. 30. the UNCW Department of Environmental Health and Safety and campus partners stress the importance of emergency procedures, campus communications awareness and the importance of personal preparedness plans. 

Hurricane Preparedness

At UNCW, we love our proximity to the ocean and all the fun and relaxation it offers! However, the ocean can also be dangerous and you should be aware of rip current hazards.

Be Alert for Rip Currents

Although the Wilmington area enjoys generally mild winters, it is not unusual to have winter storms that affect travel and the operation of campus. UNCW monitors the weather and will use the UNCW Alert System and other communication channels to update students, faculty, staff and the community if a change in campus operations, activities or class schedules will be necessary.

See More Information on Winter Weather

Learn how to avoid heat-related illness that can be brought on by the extremely hot weather that the Wilmington area experiences during the summer months.

Learn Tips to PRepare for Severe WEather

EH&S wants to know about safety and environmental concerns on campus. Please contact us via the link below – you have the option to remain anonymous – or call 910.962.3057.

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