CougarAlert System Procedures
When an emergency occurs, the CougarAlert system powered by Skytel.software can send email, text messages and voice messages to students and employees as little as 90 seconds.
Applicable Situations
CougarAlerts will be sent in emergencies that require unscheduled closure or evacuation of a campus or the district. This includes but is not limited to weather closures, power outages, police emergencies, catastrophes and/or hazardous exposures. CougarAlerts will not be used for promotional purposes or for scheduled closures, such as holidays.
CougarAlert Subscriptions
To receive CougarAlerts, students and employees must subscribe to the system online and enter their preferences. Changes can be made at any time. Users can include up to five addresses/numbers at which to be notified. The subscription is free but standard text message charges from your cell phone provider will apply.
Subscribing
- Go to the CougarAlert log-in page in an additional browser window or tab. It might be useful to jump between the two windows as you complete your registration.
- In the welcome screen, click below the fields for Email and Password where is says “Please register if you do not have an existing login.”
- Enter a valid email address in the email field. Once complete, users can add additional email addresses.
- Check the box to agree to the Terms & Conditions, then click the “Submit” button.
Setting Preferences
- An email will be sent to your email account within minutes. This email will contain your initial password, which you will need to setup your account.
- Reopen the log-in/welcome screen and enter your email address and password to enter.
- Now you select how and where you prefer to receive CougarAlerts. Your email address will be pre-populated. Click the “Create New Address” button to add text messaging to your cell phone, another email address or a phone number for a recorded voice message.
- In the “Update Notification Address” window, select “SMS” to setup to receive text messages, enter your 10-digit cell phone number without dashes, parentheses or periods in the address field and click the “Update Address” button to complete. Use a similar process to add extra email addresses or voice lines.
- After updating your address information, be certain your preferences are selected accurately, click "Save Selection" and then logout.
