UC Berkeley begins emergency alert system

The University of California at Berkeley has started a new campus-wide notification service, alerting students, faculty and staff of emergencies via phone and online messages. The new alert system, known as WarnMe, lets students prioritize and choose how they would like to be reached during an emergency. Methods include text messaging, calls to both cell and home phones and e-mail alerts. The university would use the system to alert people of a natural disaster, crime or other threat, and would also provide information as to what people should do. the notification program is an opt-in system, meaning students must sign up for the service.