False Alarm, No Emergency
Update #1 – False Alarm, No Emergency – 3:18 p.m.
To all Members of the Carleton Community,
We wanted to provide more information about the recent alert about an attacker on campus which was a false alarm.
The wrong computer key was hit and a template for one of several types of potential emergencies went out to the community in error, rather than just being saved in Carleton’s Emergency Notification System (ENS).
To ensure this does not happen in future, Carleton will research the possibility of adding another step to the process required to send an ENS message.
We sincerely regret the stress and panic this error will have caused among some in our community. Please be assured that the campus community is ready to help anyone who has been negatively impacted by this incident.
Please be advised that some community members may yet receive the alert about an attacker on campus in the coming hours. Please disregard that notice. We are working to correct bugs in the system that delay messages for some people.
Carleton students or employees who are having difficulties or are in need of assistance are strongly encouraged to reach out to the appropriate service, their professor or supervisor or residence life manager.
Students who require counselling support can phone or come in person between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, to Health and Counselling Services, CTTC Building, Suite 2600. Beginning at 11:00 a.m., students can check in for same-day counselling. Students may also call (613) 520-6674 or walk in to schedule an appointment. Any students who require immediate assistance after hours can visit our website for a list of 24/7 resources.
Carleton employees can access the after-hours Employee Assistance Program (EAP) by calling 1 (800) 668-9920. The Employee Assistance Program can be contacted during regular business hours at (613) 725-5676.
Again, we apologize for the upset and inconvenience caused by this error.
Original Message – 1:59 p.m.
Carleton students, faculty and staff are advised that a recent alert about an attacker on campus was a false alarm. It occurred while emergency templates were being updated. A message was sent by mistake instead of saved.
The university profusely apologizes for the error and the resulting upset that was caused. We can reassure you that everything is safe and under control.
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