How You Will Be Notified

Understanding Key Messages

Evacuate: to leave a room/building/campus in a timely and orderly manner.

Lockdown: to secure an area by locking doors, windows, and barricading oneself to block entry to a room/building/campus.

Shelter-in-place: to take immediate shelter where you are - at home, work, school or in between - usually just for a few hours.

Persons with Disabilities: Persons with disabilities need to work with his/her instructor and/or supervisor to ensure that a person in the same or adjacent area is assigned to provide assistance.

Technology alerts

  • Text message MEMS ALERTS - All students and employees are enrolled in a text-message ALERT notification system that sends messages with key directives in the event of incidents affecting the health and safety of people on campus/site.

    The ALERTS are issued in a specific format that make it clear you are being notified of an emergency (MEMS ALERT, CGCC ALERT, MCC ALERT, GCC ALERT, etc.) The alerts provide directives with which you are expected to comply. (see Understanding Key Messages)

    It is important to keep your contact information updated in SIS (students) and HRMS (employees) – especially mobile devices and e-mail addresses – in order to fully utilize the MEMS Alert system.

  • E-mail notifications - E-mail notifications are an important communication tool in the event of all emergencies. In the event of a major emergency, e-mail will be supported by other communication tools.
  • College and District web sites
  • Twitter @ Maricopa Alerts

Audible alerts

  • Loudspeaker - Some locations are equipped with public address systems which will be used to issue official directives to students and employees in the event of an emergency. Students and employees are expected to understand and comply with directives. (See Understanding Key Messages)
  • Bullhorn - To support or in place of loudspeakers, bullhorns may be used to issue directives to students and employees in the event of an emergency.
  • Sirens - At some locations, sirens may be used to indicate an evacuation.

Visual alerts

  • ALERT Flashing strobes - At various locations, flashing strobes indicate an incident has or is about to occur in an immediate area. The strobes are supported by electronic message boards that provide directives for evacuation, lockdown, or shelter in place. Students and employees are expected to comply with these directives.
  • Message boards - Electronic message boards are used in some locations to provide directives regarding evacuation, lockdown, and shelter-in-place. These boards may also be used to relay messages directly from a college or District website to provide more detailed information.

Person to person directives from College Police or other authorized personnel

  • Door-to-door - College Police or other authorized personnel may make door-to-door notifications to classrooms and learning spaces. Faculty and staff who work in these areas are trained by College Police as to the official procedures in the event of a variety of potential incidents.
  • Direct phone calls - College Police or other authorized staff may make direct phone calls to specific areas in the event of an emergency. Employees in the area being contacted will be given as much information as possible and are expected to comply with official directives.
  • Phone trees - Each Department at every location is required to have a notification phone tree to deploy in the event of a major emergency. The contact information and Department protocols are additionally provided to College Police.
  • Media - local TV and radio (as appropriate)