Sign up now for HSC Alert, the Health Science Center’s emergency e-mail and text message system. If you have already signed up, please check the phone numbers and e-mail addresses you designated to make sure they are still current. A test of the system is set for Oct. 9.
Printer Friendly Format

In response to violent incidences on other college and university campuses, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has put into place three campus safety initiatives:

• 567-CARE (567-2273), a telephone number to report unusual behavior by others or concerns about personal safety on the Health Science Center campus
  
• Training on the portal to help prepare for or react to a campus emergency
  
• HSC Alert, a campus emergency response system that sends notifications by text message or e-mail in case of emergencies or campus closures

“We are fortunate that we have not had a major violent act on our campus, but we want to be prepared and give our faculty, staff and students the tools they need to prevent or react to campus violence,” President William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, said. “We want our campus to be safe.”

567-CARE
Similar to calling 911 from a Health Science Center desk phone or 567-2800, 567-CARE (567-2273) will be answered by the UT Health Science Center Police Department. Dispatchers will assess calls to ensure they are handled appropriately, whether it is an emergency, a call for advice or a need for counseling.

Students will be transferred to the Student Counseling Service or sent to University Hospital for after-hours emergencies that require counseling or health concerns. Faculty and staff members will be transferred to the new UT Advantage Faculty & Staff Assistance Program (866-320-2593), where they can talk to counselors and receive additional information through the program’s many online resources.

Campus safety training on the portal
Information about how to prevent or react to a dangerous situation on campus is available in the password-protected area of the portal. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to view these materials now in order to be prepared should an emergency arise.

To access the training materials:

1. Visit the Health Science Center portal, http://inside.uthscsa.edu.
   
2. Sign in with your User ID and Password.
   
3. Look for the red bar labeled “In case of emergency”

There you will find a video and handout on how to survive a shooting on campus, an emergency preparedness references chart outlining what to do in a variety of emergency situations and a link to the Campus Status Web page, which will have information in case of an actual emergency.

HSC Alert
A test of the HSC Alert system will take place Oct. 9, so now is the time to enroll and designate the e-mail addresses and electronic devices you wish to receive messages about campus emergencies and closures. Those who have already signed up are encouraged to double-check designations to make sure they are still current.

To enroll or check designations, follow the same procedure as accessing the training materials, but on the third step, look for the red bar labeled “HSC Alert” and follow the instructions. If you have difficulty signing up or making changes, call Triage at (210) 567-7777 and choose option 2.

“Your safety is our utmost concern and we encourage all faculty, staff and students to become familiar with the options above,” said UT Health Science Center Police Capt. Ronald Davidson. “Your decision to call regarding a behavior concern may help avoid a campus incident or assist someone who needs help.”