Emergency Procedures

UTHealth Houston ALERT is a text message emergency notification system. UTHealth Houston has contracted with Everbridge, an electronic mass communications system vendor, to provide the UTHealth Houston emergency team and UT Police Department (UTPD) the capability of rapidly notifying the campus community through text messaging about events of imminent threat, crisis or harm.

During the event of an imminent threat, crisis or harm; such as shooter on campus, armed intruder, imminent weather emergencies (tornado), or university status updates due to weather. The process will include an initial text message with information about the threat with instruction you should follow to protect yourself.

Armed intruder at XYZ Building; shelter in place
Once the threat has passed an ALL CLEAR text message will be sent out.

Charges for receiving text messages will depend on your wireless provider and plan. Contact your wireless provider for more information.

Follow the directions communicated in the alert. Emergency updates will also be posted at https://www.uthealthhoustonemergency.org/ as they become available.

An ALL CLEAR text message will signal a resolution to the threatening event.

As more information is available, it will then be posted on the university’s emergency website: https://www.uthealthhoustonemergency.org/ .

All other standard channels of emergency information will be employed as well: email, building TV monitors and in some instances the building fire announcement system.

Once the University has information, it is subject to possible disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.

State law, however, allows employees to make an election to keep certain information, including personal mobile telephone numbers, private. Employees may view their current election in Self Service and may change their election by submitting the Public Access Option Form to Human Resources.

Similarly, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act provides a method for students to elect to keep directory information, which the University has defined to include telephone numbers, private. Students may file an objection to the release of directory information with the Office of the Registrar through the Student Privacy Notice.

Currently, through UTHealth Houston ALERT we will be using only texting -- the most expedient method to alert the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time. In addition to the UTHealth Houston ALERT texting process, the university will continue to use established emergency communication methods: email, building TV monitors, the university emergency website and in some instances the building fire announcement system.

Existing guests will be notified via email in the coming weeks with instructions on how to add their information to the guest system for UTHealth Houston ALERT.

For new guests, cell phone number will be entered into the guest system as part of the initial guest account setup.

Existing residents will be notified via email in the coming weeks with instructions on how to add or update their information resident database for UTHealth Houston ALERT.

For new residents, your cell phone number is already collected as part of the resident on-boarding process.

In addition to the UTHealth Houston ALERT texting process, the university will continue to use established emergency communication methods: email, building TV monitors, the university emergency website and in some instances the building fire announcement system.

Internally, the information that you provide will be maintained within the University with the same internal accessibility and potential use as your existing contact information. With regard to open records, please see FAQ question, "If I provide my cell phone information, will that information be subject to open records requests?"

For Employees – Self Service Instructions
To add or update a Personal Cell Phone Number

• Log into PeopleSoft via Self Service (also found at the top navigation bar at Inside UTHealth Houston, the intranet) and follow the navigation below:

• Under My Personal Information, click on Phone Numbers

• Once you are on the Phone Numbers page, you can click on the Add a Phone Number button and a new line will appear.

• On the new line click the drop down box under the Phone Type column, select Mobile and then type in your phone number. When typing, simply enter the numbers – the system will automatically add any dashes or slashes to keep all numbers consistent.

• Click Save.

• A Save Confirmation notice will appear and you can click OK. Your new phone number has been added.

For Students – myUTH Instructions
To add or update a Personal Cell Phone Number
Log into myUTH and navigate to the Student Center.

• Select “Phone Numbers” from the drop down list in the Personal Information section and click the >> button.  A list of phone numbers will appear.

• If a Phone Type of UTH Alert is listed, edit the phone number by clicking on the phone number. Click the “Save” button when edits are complete.

• If a UTH Alert phone number does not exist, add one by selected the “Add A Phone Number” button.

• A new row will appear. Select UTH Alert from the Phone Type drop down list and enter the phone number in the appropriate field.

• Click “Save”.

For Residents and Clinical Fellows – GMEIS Instructions
To add or update a Personal Cell Phone Number, Pager, Personal Email Address:

• Go to New Innovations www.new-innov.com/uth and click on the Resident/Fellow link.

• Click on Demographic and Biographic Information→ update (or add) cell phone number, pager, personal email address → save changes

• Note: you can click on either Pager or Cell Phone and make changes to one or all items.

• Click Save.

• System is updated

For Official UTHealth Houston Guest Account Holders
To add or update a Guest’s Emergency Notification Information

• Access the following https://apps.uth.edu/guest

• Login with your UTHealth Houston login ID.

• If you elect to “opt out” of receiving emergency alerts, check the “opt out” box.

• If you elect to receive emergency alerts, enter your cell phone (in the format xxx-xxx-xxxx)

• Click Update

Yes. All cell phone networks and carriers are supported by UTHealth Houston ALERT.  Instructions for updating your cell number are provided above.

No. However your cell phone must be able to accept text messages. If you do not receive the confirmation test message on the date(s) specified, please email [email protected].

Yes. Change your number via the same process you used to initially submit your cell phone number. These systems will be synchronized with UTHealth Houston ALERT on a regular basis.

In most cases UT Police Department will initiate a UTHealth Houston ALERT. In an imminent weather emergency (tornado) or hazardous material release (i.e. chemical spill) the Department of Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management will initiate the alert.

Yes, test dates will be announced ahead of time. You will receive information about the testing, what it will look like on your cell phone and when it will occur.

You will receive information about the testing, what it will look like on your cell phone and when it will occur. In addition, test text messages will be clearly labeled as a test.

First, confirm with your cell phone provider that you indeed have texting capability. Next, confirm your contact information in the appropriate information system (Self Service, myUTH, etc.) If all information seems to be correct and verified, contact [email protected].