Students can expect to get informed of campus emergencies through the Emergency E-mail System this year.

Chief of Police Matthew Kiederlen said the system began more than two years ago when they were trying to figure out a way to get emergency messages across to students and faculty “quickly and easily.”

The emails are sent out by either the UW-Whitewater Police Department or from Marketing and Media.

“Anything and everything can be sent out through the Emergency Email System,” Kiederlen said. “I believe email has sort of become a way of life for everyone so it’s an effective way to communicate.”

Last Wednesday’s gas leak on the corner of Main and Whiton Streets caused several buildings to evacuate, including: The Alumni Center, Hyer Hall, Andersen Library, the Center of the Arts and the Young Auditorium.

Students were informed of the gas leak via the emergency system.

“Our officers will still go through all the buildings and say ‘hey, you need to get out,’ if it’s a serious situation,” Kiederlen said. “But if for some reason you were sitting in the basement of the library last Wednesday and you hadn’t looked at your e-mail or were told by the employees to get out, you weren’t in a real dangererous position.”

Kiederlen said for larger scale emergencies, there are loud speakers around campus attached to various fire alarms. The loud speakers would sound for emergencies such as an active shooter or weather warning.

The speakers are supposed to act as a ‘shelter-in-place’ warning, meaning students should stay where they are.

Kiederlen said this means everyone should close windows and doors, turn out the lights, turn off the ventilation system and sit tight.

“I encourage people that when they see those e-mails please look at them,” Kiederlen said. “I’m not going to send out something that you don’t need to know about. These are designed for emergency situations, so when you see them, there’s a reason.”