If you're on the Louisiana Christian University campus, you'll probably be hearing its newest addition soon.
The Pineville university has added a siren alert warning system, and it will be testing two different types of alerts that will be used to warn faculty, staff, students and visitors, according to a news release.
The 50-foot siren is up near Alexandria Hall and already is in its testing phase. Currently, the siren will be used to alert people of bad weather and active shooters. Each alert will have a different sound and can broadcast across 2,800 feet in all directions, reads the release.
The siren was paid for through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's FEMA Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which funds the purchase or reimbursement of different security-related equipment annually, said Bryce Sanders, LCU's executive director of information technology.
Additional funding came from the Union Pacific Railroad Foundation, said Vice President of Academic Affairs Henry O. Robertson.
"If a tornado is three miles away, we need to know now," said Sanders. "We needed an audible alert to the entire campus population to reach all areas of campus."
For notification of other events, the university still will use its RAVE text notification system, it reads.
"You’re going to be made aware," said John Dauzat, director of campus security and operations. "If you’re a guest on campus and you don’t have RAVE, you are going to be made aware."
And he said the siren could have other uses in the future.
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"We are just scratching the surface of what it’s capable of," he said. "It’s one more tool in our toolbelt of maintaining safety over our campus."
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Louisiana Christian University testing new 50-foot siren for warnings
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