Gator Alert is Virginia Peninsula Community College’s (VPCC) Emergency Notification System (ENS) capable of delivering messages to VPCC faculty, staff and students email addresses, land lines, cell phones, voice announcements, computer desktops, and webpages.
Gator Alert text messaging and cell phone notifications require faculty, staff, and students to self-register (opt-in) to receive notifications and alerts. Messages may include, but not be limited to campus, site, facility/building emergencies as well as campus and inclement weather and closures as they pertain to the entire campus community.
When issued, Gator Alerts may be issued by authorized VPCC officials. Gator Alert is provided at no charge by the College, meaning you are not charged a subscriber's fee. Standard text message, data, and/or phone rates from your wireless carrier or phone provider will apply and are not the responsibility of Virginia Peninsula Community College, their employees, agents, and/or contracted service providers.
Register for Gator Alert Text Messages or Manage Your Current Gator Alert Account
If you encounter difficulty registering for or managing your Gator Alert notifications, please contact the Gator Alert service provider, Omnilert by calling 1-800-936-3525.
Gator Alert Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the Virginia Peninsula Community College Emergency Notification System? The College’s Emergency Notification System (ENS), known as Gator Alert, employs multiple notification resources, which may include, but not be limited to, Short Message/Messaging Service (SMS), more commonly known as “text messages,” voice, desktop, webpage, and/or email notifications/alerts, etc.) that Virginia Peninsula Community College safety officials can use to notify you of important non-emergent and/or critical-emergent information i.e., alternate operating hours, safety notifications/alerts (acts of violence, hazardous conditions, etc.), campus or building closure, shelter-in-place or evacuation notifications.
- When is the system used? Gator Alert may be used to convey information as determined necessary and/or appropriate by the College. The intention of the system is to share information that helps our campus community maintain situational awareness, health, safety, and security. Certain components of the system may only be activated as determined appropriate for immediate public safety concerns. The Gator Alert SMS/Text component will be used primarily for critical and/or public safety notifications.
- In most other cases where there is not an emergency or immediate threat, information will be sent by email to Virginia Peninsula Community College students, faculty and/or staff via the College’s issued student and/or faculty/staff assigned email.
- It is important to note that this system may or may not be used in conjunction with other building safety notification systems i.e., fire alarm systems, etc.
- Is the system only used for college, campus, or site notifications/alerts? While the primary intention of the system is to share information that helps our campus community maintain situational awareness, health, safety, and security. Certain components of the system may only be activated as determined appropriate for immediate public safety concerns; it is possible that the system or components thereof, as determined necessary and/or appropriate may be activated to share information related to public safety or other notifications for adjacent and/or surrounding incidents, events, and/or information of importance.
- How is the system activated? Designated Virginia Peninsula Community College officials determine when and what components of the Gator Alert ENS require activation.
- Is the system tested or used during exercises? Yes, the system will be tested and used during exercises. Gator Alert ENS system tests will be scheduled, communicated, and alerts/notifications will be preceded with the verbiage TEST. When the Gator Alert ENS is being used in conjunction with and exercise, alerts/notifications will be preceded with the verbiage “EXERCISE” or “THIS IS AN EXERCISE MESSAGE.”
- Can I sign up for Gator Alert text messages? Gator Alert (SMS/Text) notification is intended only for members of the Virginia Peninsula Community College community who attend classes or work on campus so that they may make plans regarding their daily activities. All students, faculty, staff and daily are encouraged to sign-up (opt-in) to receive Gator Alert text notifications. We also understand that visitors, parents, loved ones of students and/or employees of Virginia Peninsula Community College, as well as adjacent neighbors and members of our extended Virginia Peninsula Community College gator community may have a need or desire to maintain situational awareness as it relates to our College and/or campuses and educational sites; therefore, we welcome you to “opt-in” to receiving our Gator Alerts via SMS/Text.
- Please consult your wireless carrier or other cell phone provider to determine data and/or messaging rates. Virginia Peninsula Community College, nor any of its employees, agents, and/or contracted service providers are responsible for charges, data, and/or messaging rates billed or charged to recipients of Gator Alert ENS messages including, but not limited to SMS, text, voice, video, and/or email. You can sign-up for Gator Alert (SMS/Text) by returning to the top of this webpage.
- How do I opt out of the system? You can “opt-out” of Gator Alert (SMS/Text) ENS by returning to the top of this webpage and following the directions to “opt-out” of Gator Alert SMS/Text notification.
- Is there a subscriber fee for signing-up (opting-in) to receive SMS/Text notification/Alerts? No, there is no subscriber associated with your registration to receive notifications from Gator Alert. However, Standard SMS/text message, data, and/or phone rates from your wireless carrier or phone provider will apply and are not the responsibility of Virginia Peninsula Community College, their employees, agents, and/or contracted service providers.