Carnegie Mellon University

Welcome to CMU-Alert

Welcome to CMU-Alert, Carnegie Mellon’s emergency notification service. In the event of an emergency, the system will send text, voice and email messages to members of the CMU community. Messages are posted to Facebook and Twitter for parents, alumni and community members. Messages and updates also are posted on this website.

All students are automatically registered for CMU-Alert using the contact information that has been entered into Student Information Online, so please make sure your information is up-to-date. Faculty and staff receive CMU-Alert messages to their contact information listed in Workday.

rave guardian logoDownload the Rave Guardian Mobile App, a virtual buddy system that turns your smartphone into a safety device. To learn more about the app and how to download it, go to visit our rave guardian page.

Questions? Send an email to cmu-alert@andrew.cmu.edu.
CMU-Alert notifications are for urgent, real-time emergencies. They will be sent via multiple modes of communication and are time-sensitive. These notifications are different than Safety or Crime Alerts, which are defined below:

Safety Alerts: Provide a timely notification to our community about reported incidents in the area surrounding campus. CMU Safety Alerts are sent to the entire Pittsburgh campus.

Crime Alerts: Provide a timely notification to our community about reported incidents on campus. CMU Crime Alerts are also sent to the entire Pittsburgh campus.

What is CMU-Alert?

cmu alertCMU-Alert is Carnegie Mellon's emergency notification system used to communicate important information during an emergency. The system uses multiple methods of communication to ensure the campus and community is notified during an emergency situation.

Please visit the Enterprise Risk Management website for a comprehensive description of CMU-Alert, as well as helpful resources and a Frequently Asked Questions section. If you have any other questions, you can email cmu-alert@andrew.cmu.edu directly. 

  • The system will send text and/or voice messages, and email to the CMU community.
  • Messages are posted to Facebook and Twitter for parents, alumni and community.
  • Emergency help stations on campus provide a way to communicate with University Police.
  • Regular updates will be posted at the top of this webpage.

What should I do when I receive an alert?

Follow the directions of CMU-Alert messages unless doing so will place you in greater danger. CMU-Alert warnings are intended to support decisions for personal safety. When you become aware of a warning, make sure others around you are also aware of the potential danger. DO NOT respond to the scene of an emergency unless directed to do so. In addition to the possibility of becoming injured, your presence could interfere with the work of emergency response personnel.

How can I keep CMU-Alert messages from being marked as spam?

It is recommended that you list the CMU-Alert number, 412-268-ALRT, in your cellphone as a contact, and white-list the number in any third-party spam-identification applications such as Hiya, NoMoRobo, and Robokiller. In most cases, this should prevent an erroneous "Spam Risk" identification from appearing on your cellphone.

What is Rave Guardian, and how do I get it?

Rave Guardian is a free smart-phone app that provides users with access to helpful safety and security resources on campus, a safety timer for a virtual buddy system, and interactive campus maps. It also pushes CMU-Alert emergency communications through the app to your smart phone. To download the app, search for "Rave Guardian" in Google Play or the App Store.

How can I be sure I'll receive CMU-Alert messages?

Students

All students are automatically registered for CMU-Alert if their information is up-to-date in SIO. 

Update your information
in SIO

Need help? Read our student guide for signing up with the SIO system

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and Staff are automatically subscribed to receive CMU-Alert messages. If you want to verify or update your contact information, you can visit Workday or work with your department initiator.

Update your information
in Workday

Read this quick guide to learn how to update your information in Workday.

To unsubscribe from CMU-Alert, Visit Workday.  Read this quick guide to learn how to unsubscribe from CMU-Alert in Workday.

Parents, Alumni, Visitors

By following the instructions below, visitors to Carnegie Mellon University may enroll in an annual subscription to receive CMU-Alert messages:

Text keyword: VISITORS to 67283.

You will receive the following message: "Welcome to CMU-Alert, Carnegie Mellon University's emergency notification system." Visitors will have the option to renew once their subscription has expired after one year.

To opt-out: Text STOP VISITORS to 67283  to cancel or HELP for tech support.

Message and data rates may apply. Text messages are sent on an as-needed basis. This service is provided per the ‍‍Terms of Use‍‍ and ‍‍Privacy Policy‍‍. 

Emergency Action Plan (Scenarios)

active shooter
bomb threat
fire
flooding
hazardous materials
medical emergency
severe weather warning
suspicious package

CMUSafe Video Series