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Three academic halls stay closed after a power outage forces an evacuation

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Campus Advisories posted an Oct. 8, 2024 power-outage notice for Duques, Tompkins, and Funger halls. The buildings were evacuated and access stayed restricted.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
George Washington University
Private R1 · DC
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~26,000 studentsCampus Advisories / official X
Official alert policy
Read when and how GWU says it will use GW Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTWebsite
Verified verbatim2308 chars
On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the Academic Buildings Duquès, Tompkins, and Funger Hall on the Foggy Bottom Campus experienced a power outage. These buildings have been evacuated and cannot be reoccupied until power is restored. GW Departments are working with Pepco to resolve this issue as soon as possible; however, the estimated time for restoration is currently unknown. For additional information, please continue to monitor your email, the university will continue to provide regular updates until this issue is resolved. Until further notice, access to Funger and Duquès is restricted using GWorld Emergency Mode to prevent individuals from inadvertently accessing the space. GWPD remains on site at these buildings as well as Tompkins Hall to control access to the spaces. Faculty with classes in these buildings should refer to guidance regarding remote instruction provided by Provost Bracey via email. Students with questions about classes scheduled for today in these buildings should contact their faculty directly. Staff who work in these buildings should contact their supervisor with questions. Those parked in the Funger/Duques parking garage can continue to exit; new vehicles will not be admitted. GW’s Office of Emergency Management is collaborating with local and regional public safety organizations to monitor activity on the Foggy Bottom Campus and will send email and/or text alerts to the entire GW community if necessary. The latest safety and security information will be posted here on Campus Advisories. For additional safety and security resources, visit the Safety website or download the GW Guardian app. Additional emergency management information from the District of Columbia is also available online. All GW community members are automatically signed up to receive GW emergency email alerts. You can manage your GW Alert account to also receive GW text alerts on your mobile device. In addition to adding your mobile number, you can add up to three email addresses and phone numbers so that friends or family may also receive GW emergency alerts. Visit GW Alert FAQ for instructions on how to manage your account. In addition, for those who use mobile apps, the GW Guardian App will push GW emergency alerts directly to the app, as well as other safety functions.
Verify this quote
Campus Advisories: Foggy Bottom power outagecampusadvisories.gwu.edufind archived copies
Dual read 2026-10-12. Two curls were byte-identical, 39348 bytes, sha256 916ad60f7909211d2bb4c57a5c8100ab0ba8b97b5fe492c876a2f7a91c5bbc07.
Article body extracted with paragraph breaks and list markers, 2308 characters, sha256 0ddb6229dfda2a8a15932042e84729e58ac831c435299bbd6849be5a81352ee3.
SPN not attempted at 07:42Z
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, SuperGrok Heavy 4.5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the Academic Buildings Duquès, Tompkins, and Funger Hall on the Foggy Bottom Campus experienced a power outage. These buildings have been evacuated and cannot be reoccupied until power is restored. GW Departments are working with Pepco to resolve this issue as soon as possible; however, the estimated time for restoration is currently unknown. For additional information, please continue to monitor your email, the university will continue to provide regular updates until this issue is resolved. Until further notice, access to Funger and Duquès is restricted using GWorld Emergency Mode to prevent individuals from inadvertently accessing the space. GWPD remains on site at these buildings as well as Tompkins Hall to control access to the spaces. Faculty with classes in these buildings should refer to guidance regarding remote instruction provided by Provost Bracey via email. Students with questions about classes scheduled for today in these buildings should contact their faculty directly. Staff who work in these buildings should contact their supervisor with questions. Those parked in the Funger/Duques parking garage can continue to exit; new vehicles will not be admitted. GW’s Office of Emergency Management is collaborating with local and regional public safety organizations to monitor activity on the Foggy Bottom Campus and will send email and/or text alerts to the entire GW community if necessary. The latest safety and security information will be posted here on Campus Advisories. For additional safety and security resources, visit the Safety website or download the GW Guardian app. Additional emergency management information from the District of Columbia is also available online. All GW community members are automatically signed up to receive GW emergency email alerts. You can manage your GW Alert account to also receive GW text alerts on your mobile device. In addition to adding your mobile number, you can add up to three email addresses and phone numbers so that friends or family may also receive GW emergency alerts. Visit GW Alert FAQ for instructions on how to manage your account. In addition, for those who use mobile apps, the GW Guardian App will push GW emergency alerts directly to the app, as well as other safety functions.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    25 of 25 passes marked this present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: First reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    2. present: Second reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    3. present: Third reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    4. present: Fourth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    5. present: Fifth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    6. present: Sixth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    7. present: Seventh reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    8. present: Eighth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    9. present: Ninth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    10. present: Tenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    11. present: Eleventh reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    12. present: Twelfth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    13. present: Thirteenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    14. present: Fourteenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    15. present: Fifteenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    16. present: Sixteenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    17. present: Seventeenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    18. present: Eighteenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    19. present: Nineteenth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    20. present: Twentieth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    21. present: Twenty-first reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    22. present: Twenty-second reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    23. present: Twenty-third reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    24. present: Twenty-fourth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
    25. present: Twenty-fifth reading: present. "GWPD" and "Provost Bracey" name offices in the notice.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    25 of 25 passes marked this present. "power outage" names the failure.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: First reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    2. present: Second reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    3. present: Third reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    4. present: Fourth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    5. present: Fifth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    6. present: Sixth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    7. present: Seventh reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    8. present: Eighth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    9. present: Ninth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    10. present: Tenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    11. present: Eleventh reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    12. present: Twelfth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    13. present: Thirteenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    14. present: Fourteenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    15. present: Fifteenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    16. present: Sixteenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    17. present: Seventeenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    18. present: Eighteenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    19. present: Nineteenth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    20. present: Twentieth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    21. present: Twenty-first reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    22. present: Twenty-second reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    23. present: Twenty-third reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    24. present: Twenty-fourth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
    25. present: Twenty-fifth reading: present. "power outage" names the failure.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    25 of 25 passes marked this present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: First reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    2. present: Second reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    3. present: Third reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    4. present: Fourth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    5. present: Fifth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    6. present: Sixth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    7. present: Seventh reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    8. present: Eighth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    9. present: Ninth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    10. present: Tenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    11. present: Eleventh reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    12. present: Twelfth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    13. present: Thirteenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    14. present: Fourteenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    15. present: Fifteenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    16. present: Sixteenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    17. present: Seventeenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    18. present: Eighteenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    19. present: Nineteenth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    20. present: Twentieth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    21. present: Twenty-first reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    22. present: Twenty-second reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    23. present: Twenty-third reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    24. present: Twenty-fourth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
    25. present: Twenty-fifth reading: present. "Funger Hall" and "Foggy Bottom Campus" name the place.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    25 of 25 passes marked this present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: First reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    2. present: Second reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    3. present: Third reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    4. present: Fourth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    5. present: Fifth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    6. present: Sixth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    7. present: Seventh reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    8. present: Eighth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    9. present: Ninth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    10. present: Tenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    11. present: Eleventh reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    12. present: Twelfth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    13. present: Thirteenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    14. present: Fourteenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    15. present: Fifteenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    16. present: Sixteenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    17. present: Seventeenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    18. present: Eighteenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    19. present: Nineteenth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    20. present: Twentieth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    21. present: Twenty-first reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    22. present: Twenty-second reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    23. present: Twenty-third reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    24. present: Twenty-fourth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
    25. present: Twenty-fifth reading: present. "cannot be reoccupied" and restricted access are protective instructions.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    25 of 25 passes marked this present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: First reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    2. present: Second reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    3. present: Third reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    4. present: Fourth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    5. present: Fifth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    6. present: Sixth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    7. present: Seventh reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    8. present: Eighth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    9. present: Ninth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    10. present: Tenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    11. present: Eleventh reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    12. present: Twelfth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    13. present: Thirteenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    14. present: Fourteenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    15. present: Fifteenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    16. present: Sixteenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    17. present: Seventeenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    18. present: Eighteenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    19. present: Nineteenth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    20. present: Twentieth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    21. present: Twenty-first reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    22. present: Twenty-second reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    23. present: Twenty-third reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    24. present: Twenty-fourth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
    25. present: Twenty-fifth reading: present. "October 8, 2024" and "Until further notice" time the outage.
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    25 of 25 passes marked this absent. No injury or suspect is stated.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: First reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    2. absent: Second reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    3. absent: Third reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    4. absent: Fourth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    5. absent: Fifth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    6. absent: Sixth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    7. absent: Seventh reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    8. absent: Eighth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    9. absent: Ninth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    10. absent: Tenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    11. absent: Eleventh reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    12. absent: Twelfth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    13. absent: Thirteenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    14. absent: Fourteenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    15. absent: Fifteenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    16. absent: Sixteenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    17. absent: Seventeenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    18. absent: Eighteenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    19. absent: Nineteenth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    20. absent: Twentieth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    21. absent: Twenty-first reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    22. absent: Twenty-second reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    23. absent: Twenty-third reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    24. absent: Twenty-fourth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.
    25. absent: Twenty-fifth reading: absent. No injury or suspect is stated.

Coded by SuperGrok Heavy 4.5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

The notice is the Oct. 8, 2024 entry on Campus Advisories. It is the posted advisory, including the signup closer that sits in the article body.
Analysis

Key Findings

Duques, Tompkins, and Funger Hall lost power and were evacuated.
Access stayed restricted, and the garage stopped admitting new vehicles.
Outcome
Duques, Tompkins, and Funger were evacuated. Access stayed restricted until power returned. Restoration time was unknown.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    Campus Advisories, Foggy Bottom power outage, October 8, 2024
    campusadvisories.gwu.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "George Washington University: Three academic halls stay closed after a power outage forces an evacuation." Incident of October 8, 2024. Added October 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/george-washington-university-foggy-bottom-power-outage-2024-10-08/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
private-r1district-of-columbiainfrastructurepower-outage
Added October 2026Updated October 2026Via ingestion