Emergency Communications

Knox College strives to provide accurate and timely information about possible or in-progress emergencies that may disrupt the normal operations of the College. To that end, Knox College may use a variety of channels to communicate with the campus, the community, alumni, parents, and the media. Depending on the nature of the emergency, the College may use any or all of the following channels.

Knox Alert System
Should an emergency arise that requires the campus community to take immediate action, the Knox Alert System is used to inform those on campus as quickly as possible about a possible emergency situation. For instance, a tornado warning may prompt the College to issue a Knox Alert. Knox Alerts are delivered to subscribers via cell phone, campus phone, text, and email.

All members of the campus community are encouraged to sign-up for the Knox Alert system.

Knox College website: www.knox.edu
Notice of any emergency will be posted to the Knox College website as soon as possible. The community should look to the main Knox Home page first. Depending on the emergency, notices also may appear on My.Knox.Edu portal, the News page, or the Campus Safety Web page.

E-mail
Instructions to the campus community can be delivered through the campus e-mail system. All students, faculty, and staff have an e-mail account. This is one of the first channels the College will use, if possible, to notify the campus of an emergency.

Campus Phones: Switchboard & Voicemail System
Knox has the capability to send a single voicemail message to the entire campus phone system. This system can be used to deliver updates, notices, and instructions to those on campus. The College switchboard has an automated voice messaging system that—even after hours—can deliver a message to callers about the status of the campus. For instance, in the event the College is closed due to a snow emergency, a switchboard message will reflect that.

Weather Siren
Knox's weather siren is connected to the City of Galesburg's emergency siren system. Should a weather emergency arise that includes sounding the siren, students should take appropriate action to protect themselves. The sirens are tested at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.

Other
Other communication channels may include notice to resident advisors or individual residences, posters in academic buildings and residences, or an alternative website.

Members of the Knox College community are encouraged to become familiar with the Knox College Guidelines for Campus Emergencies (PDF).