Staying Alert With Iowa Lakes

With the winter months coming up, safety is a concern for Iowa Lakes Community College. Executive Director of Facilities Management Delaine Hiney wants to make sure every student is signed up for the alert system to keep them as safe as can be.

At the beginning of each semester, Iowa Lakes uses its database to add all of their students and staff into the alert system. Then when there is an alert, whether its weather, an irate student, or even a gas leak, an alert is sent out to all students and staff. The alerts can be sent out via text, phone call, and occasionally email.

“Iowa Lakes students and employees need to receive critical information in a timely manner.  An Iowa Lakes Alert is a quick way to reach everyone,” said Hiney.

The Iowa Lakes Alert System was used in a big way last year during a severe storm. The car wash next to Laker 2 blew down and there was a gas leak.

“The alert to evacuate the dorms was sent via text messaging (not from web-site) while on campus.  Our students and staff were amazing in their response times.” Hiney said of the gas leak.

Perhaps the most interesting way the alert system has been used so far is when a former Iowa Lakes student threw a microwave and caused a stir in the cafeteria at the Estherville Campus last year. Nobody was hurt during the incident.