There will be an all-campus lockdown to test WSU’s alert system at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday on WSU Pullman’s campus.

Sarah Blatner, WSU Emergency Management coordinator, said WSU students, faculty and staff will receive an alert message through email, text or a phone call. There will also be sirens to indicate the beginning of the WSU Alert test.

Randomly selected buildings with electronic door-locking capabilities will lock as a part of the assessment, she said. People will not be locked inside the building and they can leave at any time during the test. They can also get back inside with their Cougar Card, Blatner said.

There will be an “all-clear” message sent out at noon and the doors will automatically unlock.

The WSU Alert test is used to build awareness around what to do in the case of an emergency, Blatner said. People should consider where they can take shelter during an emergency and locate exits around them. They should also address their individual circumstances and how to take safety precautions, she said.

“During the test, we really want people to take a couple of minutes to think about what they would do,” she said.

According to the Office of Emergency Management website, there will not be a lockdown drill during the alert system test. People should find a space with a lockable door, cover the windows, silence devices and turn off the lights in the case of a lockdown, according to the website. 

Students, faculty and staff can sign up for WSU Alert notification through myWSU. More information about WSU Alert can be found on alert.wsu.edu.