What is UMD Alerts?

UMD Alerts is a software application used to send emergency alerts, notifications and updates to your cell phone, pager, BlackBerry, PDA and / or e-mail account. In the event of an emergency such as a fire, tornado, campus closing, a Virginia Tech or September 11th-type attack, important alerts and updates will be sent right to your cell phone or mobile device. All you have to do is sign up for a UMD Alerts account. (UMD Alerts is a free service offered by the University of Maryland. Your wireless carrier may charge you a fee to receive messages on your wireless device.)

What types of alerts will be sent?

Alert types may include life safety, assaults, fire, weather, accidents involving utilities or roadways, team activation notifications, or disaster notification such as a terrorist attack, tornado, hurricane, and more. A few examples of the types of messages that can be sent through UMD Alerts are:

Emergency Situations:

• Notify employees, and / or citizens of the location of the nearest emergency shelter, available bed space, hours of operation during a crisis
• Notify employees / citizens of available evacuation routes during an emergency
• Activate special teams within the community, based upon an event

Precautionary Warnings:

• Severe weather warnings
• Change in the Homeland Security Advisory System terror alert level
• Pre-cautionary evacuation order if on high alert

How to Register

• Register online at https://alert.umd.edu/index.php
• New users may also register by sending a text message to 411911 keyword: UMD. Click here to read SMS Terms of Use.

For more information about the UMD Alerts, see https://alert.umd.edu/faq.php