Tri-C

Emergency Notifications and Timely Warnings (Red Flag / Tri-C Alert) - Annual Report

OHAnnual Security ReportRed Flag / Tri-C Alerthigh confidence

Cuyahoga Community College documents Red Flag mass emergency notification and Tri-C Alert opt-in text/phone alerts with chief-of-police initiation and PIO content coordination for multi-campus Clery notifications.

Read the official policy

Institution

Cuyahoga Community College

Community College · OH

~25,000 studentsRed Flag / Tri-C Alert

In the policy’s own words

What the policy says

Red Flag system within minutesverbatim

Cuyahoga Community College uses the Red Flag emergency notification system, which sends emergency notifications to all faculty, staff and students within minutes of receiving notice of a threatening situation.

Named Red Flag system with minutes-scale delivery.

Tri-C Annual Report - Emergency Notification System

Red Flag multi-channel capabilityverbatim

The Red Flag system is capable of sending voice phone messages, emails, text and faxes.

Voice, email, text, and fax capability.

Tri-C Annual Report - Red Flag channels

Chief initiates emergency notification processverbatim

The chief of police or designee will initiate the emergency notification process.

Chief of police owns EN process initiation.

Tri-C Annual Report - EN determination

At a glance

How this policy works

When it activates: Emergency notification: reasonable confirmation of significant emergency or dangerous situation involving immediate threat to health or safety (e.g., active assailant, tornado, fire, gas leak, explosion). Timely warning: Clery crime on Clery geography reported to Tri-C police or Title IX office presenting serious or continuing threat.
Who decides: Chief of police or designee initiates EN process; PIO crafts content with chief. EN decision may also be made by officer expressly authorized by chief or Public Safety team. Dispatch may send emergency alert in extreme circumstances (e.g., active assailant). TW: chief of police or designee.
Timeliness standard: EN as soon as reasonable confirmation exists, without delay taking community safety into account. Messages may go any time including middle of the night. Email and text systems tested throughout the year. Red Flag delivers within minutes of notice.
Emergency notification vs. timely warning: ASR Emergency Notifications and Timely Warnings and Emergency Notification System sections with named Red Flag and Tri-C Alert systems.
Testing cadence: Emergency email and text notification systems tested throughout the year. Periodic evacuation drills with Plant Operations and site emergency response teams.
Scope & limits: Segmented building/area notifications allowed. No EN if threat immediately contained or targeted to specific known individuals with no broader threat. Victim names not disclosed. Tri-C Alert text requires opt-in with valid Alert number.

ChannelsSmsEmailPhone CallPa SystemWebsiteFacebookTwitter X

Analysis

Reading the policy

Tri-C (Cleveland multi-campus, OH) publishes Emergency Notifications and Timely Warnings procedures in its Campus Police and Security Services Annual Report. Emergency notifications issue as soon as there is reasonable confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving immediate threat to health or safety of students or employees (unless immediately contained). Responding officers alert supervisors for EN review; the chief of police or designee initiates the process. Content is crafted with the public information officer without delay unless notification would compromise victim assistance or mitigation. Means of notification include the Mass Notification System (Tri-C Alert) for phone and text from 866-989-ALRT (opt-in via my Tri-C space), interactive media/website, email, social media, Call Center, ALRT line, and Emergency Voice Notification System (EVNS). The Red Flag emergency notification system sends voice, email, text, and fax to all faculty, staff, and students within minutes of a threatening situation, 24/7/365. PA systems support on-campus announcements. Timely warnings for Clery crimes with serious or continuing threat are determined by the chief of police or designee and issued via emergency email, my Tri-C space, and Tri-C Alert. Email and text systems are tested throughout the year. Complements Ohio CC coverage with Owens and Columbus State.

Takeaways

Key findings

Red Flag mass system for voice/email/text/fax within minutes; 24/7/365 access.

Tri-C Alert opt-in mass notification for phone/text from 866-989-ALRT.

Chief of police initiates EN; PIO coordinates content; dispatch may send in extreme circumstances.

Policy, meet practice

When this system actually fired

4 documented times Tri-C’s alert system was used, from the case archive.

Provenance

Sources

Official
Cuyahoga Community College Campus Police Crime Stats / Annual Report PDF
tri-c.edu
archived copy