Communication in an Emergency

Tips For Parents

Call or text your student. In an emergency situation, campus police and University leadership will be focused on the safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors on campus.

Follow our Ball State Alert Twitter account (@ballstate_alert) for instant alerts. See instructions below.

The University relies on an array of communication tools to keep the campus community informed and relay safety instructions in the event of an emergency. University Police and Marketing and Communications are the only campus offices authorized to disseminate official information about campus emergencies to the campus community. The modes of communication are listed below. They vary with the nature and severity of the situation.

Accuracy and timing are critical to preserving the safety and security of campus and all who are on campus. Before discussing, sharing, or forwarding messages about emergency situations, please check official communication channels for accurate information.

Emergency Warning Sirens

Emergency warning sirens emit a continuous three-minute sound warning.
Sirens are used to alert the public of an impending danger such as tornado, severe thunderstorm with high winds or large hail, hazardous material spill, or a safety threat. If you hear a siren, you should take cover inside away from glass doors and windows, and tune into your local radio or television stations for further instructions. If you cannot get to a radio or television, initiate tornado protection procedures as this is the most likely reason for the siren to sound.
The sirens do not sound for the entire duration of a tornado warning. Do not assume that the danger has passed when sirens stop.
The emergency warning sirens are tested each Friday at 11 a.m. These tests last for 30 seconds. If the emergency warning sirens sound on a Friday morning for longer than 30 seconds, you should initiate tornado protection procedures.

Email and Text Emergency Notifications

Ball State issues three types of notifications during emergencies depending on the urgency or severity of the situation: emergency warnings, public safety advisories, and BSUInform notices. Learn more.

Text Alerts for Students, Faculty, and Staff

Students and employees are automatically subscribed to the University’s emergency text alerts via the cell phone number they provide during orientation (for students) or to HR during onboarding (for employees). Any individual wishing to receive emergency texts who does not already receive them can text BallStateAlerts to 226787. Please note: individuals should not call the University seeking additional information in response to an emergency text alert. Instead, actively monitor the University's website and social media accounts for official pertinent updates.

Ball State Homepage (bsu.edu)

Official information about the situation will be posted on the Ball State homepage (bsu.edu).

Twitter (@ballstate_alert)

The University will post information and continual updates on our official emergency management Twitter account, @ballstate_alert.

This Twitter account also provides emergency updates to anyone outside of the University (i.e., parents, media).

How to Set Up Mobile Alerts for Twitter

If you would like to receive the tweets being shared during an emergency:

Follow @ballstate_alert on Twitter.
Click on the three dots next to the follow button or at the top right corner ("More user actions").
Select "Turn on mobile notifications" to get instant notifications.

Emergency Call Boxes

Emergency call boxes are in classrooms and other places around campus where it is inappropriate to place a regular telephone. The call boxes work like a telephone and dial the University Police Department once the button is pressed.

Also, call boxes will receive alerts and say them aloud during emergencies. This happens almost instantaneously across all call boxes on campus.

Press the ‘Call’ button to be connected to University Police.

Emergency Assistance

911 or 765-285-1111