As part of our commitment to building a culture of care and the establishment of an atmosphere that promotes safety and security for our college community (faculty, staff, and students), guests, and neighbors, Virginia Peninsula Community College is pleased to provide information about the VPCC Gator Ready App and VPCC Gator Alert Emergency Notification System. Learn more, download the app, and register for emergency notifications by reviewing the information about each of these important safety and security platforms below. Get Gator Ready, Make Safety First, Make Safety Last!
Gator Ready Safety-Security Mobile App
- Gator Ready, the official mobile safety app for Virginia Peninsula Community College. Available on Apple and Android, Gator Ready offers safety features and resources customized for Virginia Peninsula Community College, to keep you informed and enhance the VPCC Culture of Care, while fostering an environment that promotes safety, security.
- The VPCC Gator Ready Mobile Safety App is available for download for Apple and Android devices. Use the links or QR codes below to access your App Store!
Gator Ready App Features
- Enhancing Safety and Security:
- Mobile BlueLight*: placing the campus call box in the palm of your hand, where you are, when you need it!
- Panic Button*: similar to Mobile BlueLight, confirming Panic Button activation shares your location and places you in contact with the Department of Police, Safety, and Security from your office, classroom, or lab.
- In an emergency, tap a button to call or text 911 or 988 in a behavioral health crisis.
- Request a virtual or actual police, safety, and/or security escort*.
- Text with the VPCC Department of Police, Safety, and Security*.
- Invite your friends on a “virtual walk” and set a timer for your arrival, and more!
- Keeping You Informed:
- Receive timely warnings and emergency notifications.
- Review emergency preparedness and take-action guidance.
- See Something, Say Something, REPORT IT! Do your part to promote a safe environment by reporting suspicious activity, potential threats, safety and security concerns, sexual misconduct, Title IX and code of conduct violations, academic integrity, and much more.
- * Certain services and features are only available at specific locations and/or during specific times and days when the college is operating. Additional information is shared in the app.
Gator Alert Emergency Notification System
- Emergency Notification Registration – Register for VPCC Gator Alerts or Log-in and Manage Your Current Account
- Timely Warnings and Emergency notifications are critical for safety, security, and response to incidents/events impacting the College’s campuses, educational sites, students, faculty, staff, and guests. Gator Alert is Virginia Peninsula Community College’s (VPCC) Emergency Notification System (ENS) capable of delivering messages to VPCC faculty, staff and students email addresses, voice announcements via landline and cell phones, cell text messages, desktop alerts, webpages and some social media platform integration. Gator Alert messaging and notifications require faculty, staff, students, and guests to self-register (opt-in) to receive notifications and alerts. Messages are periodically sent on an as-needed basis. Message frequency may vary. Messages may include but not be limited to, emergency communications and other important information.
- When issued, Gator Alerts may be issued by authorized VPCC officials. Gator Alert is provided at no charge by the College or the College’s notification/communications vendor, Rave Mobile Safety, meaning you are not charged a subscriber’s fee. Standard text message, data, and/or phone rates from your wireless carrier or phone provider will apply and are not the responsibility of Virginia Peninsula Community College, their employees, agents, and/or contracted service providers.
- Guest/Visitor 24-hour Registration for Text Message Alerts – if you are visiting with us today, conducting business, completing work, or engaging in one of our events, activities, and/or athletic competitions on one of our campuses, educational sites, or controlled venues, please know that we value your safety and security and strongly encourage you to text gatoralert (all one word) to 67283. By completing this process, you are self-registering your mobile device to receive text alerts from Virginia Peninsula Community College for a 24-hour period that begins from the time you text to opt-in for notifications. Message and data rates may apply. We do not charge for this service, however your mobile phone company may charge for text messages. Please refer to your mobile phone’s service plan for more information. This service is provided per the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Subscribing to Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Warnings
- VPCC Gator Alert is capable of issuing automatic notifications for Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Warnings for predefined areas where campuses and/or educational sites are located. This feature is an opt-in feature for subscribers and requires that you select a list(s) when registering. The lists include areas encompassing the Hampton Campus (Hampton), Historic Triangle and Toano Trades Center (James City), and Southeast Newport News Educational Sites (Southeast Newport News). You can elect to subscribe to one or more of these lists to receive these two critical weather alerts when they are issued by the National Weather Service. VPCC is not responsible for the issuance of these National Weather Service warnings. This service is provided by RAVE Mobile Safety through the IPAWS network.
- When you register for VPCC Gator Alerts, look for the above lists during registration. If you have previously registered, log into your account, select the “List” label at the top of your account page, and select the list(s) for the location(s) that you would like to receive these weather notifications. To opt out of receiving weather alerts, log into your account, select the “List” label and then uncheck the list(s) you want to stop receiving.
Gator Alert Frequently Asked Questions
- What if my service provider is not listed when I self-register? In many instances, cell service providers may provide service as part of an agreement to use another service providers infrastructure. If you are unable to find your service provider listed, please visit your providers webpage, call them, or perform an internet search to help you determine which company’s infrastructure your service is using.
- I am only on campus or attending a special function for a short period of time, can I receive alerts and notifications while I am here? Yes, if you are visiting with us today, conducting business, completing work, or engaging in one of our events, activities, and/or athletic competitions on one of our campuses, educational sites, or controlled venues, please know that we value your safety and security and strongly encourage you to text gatoralert (all one word) to 67283. By completing this process, you are self-registering your mobile device to receive text alerts from Virginia Peninsula Community College for a 24-hour period that begins from the time you text to opt-in for notifications. Message and data rates may apply. We do not charge for this service, however your mobile phone company may charge for text messages. Please refer to your mobile phone’s service plan for more information. This service is provided per the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
- What is the Virginia Peninsula Community College Emergency Notification System?
- The College’s Emergency Notification System (ENS), known as VPCC Gator Alert, employs multiple notification resources, which may include, but not be limited to, Short Message/Messaging Service (SMS) , more commonly known as “text messages,” voice, desktop, webpage, and/or email notifications/alerts, etc.) that Virginia Peninsula Community College safety officials can use to notify you of important non-emergent and/or critical-emergent information i.e., alternate operating hours, safety notifications/alerts (acts of violence, hazardous conditions, etc.), campus or building closure, shelter-in-place or evacuation notifications.
- When is the system used?
- Gator Alert may be used to convey information as determined necessary and/or appropriate by the College. The intention of the system is to share information that helps our campus community maintain situational awareness, health, safety, and security. Certain components of the system may only be activated as determined appropriate for immediate public safety concerns. The Gator Alert SMS/Text component will be used primarily for critical and/or public safety notifications.
- In most other cases where there is not an emergency or immediate threat, information will be sent by email to Virginia Peninsula Community College students, faculty and/or staff via the College’s issued student and/or faculty/staff assigned email.
- It is important to note that this system may or may not be used in conjunction with other building safety notification systems i.e., fire alarm systems, etc.
- Is the system only used for college, campus, or site notifications/alerts?
- While the primary intention of the system is to share information that helps our campus community maintain situational awareness, health, safety, and security. Certain components of the system may only be activated as determined appropriate for immediate public safety concerns; it is possible that the system or components thereof, as determined necessary and/or appropriate may be activated to share information related to public safety or other notifications for adjacent and/or surrounding incidents, events, and/or information of importance.
- How is the system activated?
- Designated Virginia Peninsula Community College officials determine when and what components of the Gator Alert ENS require activation.
- Is the system tested or used during exercises?
- Yes, the system will be tested and used during exercises. Gator Alert ENS system tests will be scheduled, communicated, and alerts/notifications will be preceded with the verbiage TEST. When the Gator Alert ENS is being used in conjunction with and exercise, alerts/notifications will be preceded with the verbiage “EXERCISE” or “THIS IS AN EXERCISE MESSAGE.”
- Can I sign up for Gator Alert text messages?
- Gator Alert (SMS/Text) notification is intended only for members of the Virginia Peninsula Community College community who attend classes or work on campus so that they may make plans regarding their daily activities. All students, faculty, staff, and guests are strongly encouraged to sign-up (opt-in) to receive Gator Alert text notifications. We also understand that visitors, parents, loved ones of students and/or employees of Virginia Peninsula Community College, as well as adjacent neighbors and members of our extended Virginia Peninsula Community College gator community may have a need or desire to maintain situational awareness as it relates to our College and/or campuses and educational sites; therefore, we welcome you to “opt-in” to receiving our Gator Alerts via SMS/Text.
- Please consult your wireless carrier or other cell phone provider to determine data and/or messaging rates. Virginia Peninsula Community College, nor any of its employees, agents, and/or contracted service providers are responsible for charges, data, and/or messaging rates billed or charged to recipients of Gator Alert ENS messages including, but not limited to SMS, text, voice, video, and/or email. You can sign-up for Gator Alert (SMS/Text) by returning to the top of this webpage.
- How do I opt out of the system?
- You can unsubscribe or “opt-out” of Gator Alert (SMS/Text) messaging by texting STOP to 67283 or 226787 from your registered mobile phone. You will no longer receive ANY text messages from VPCC Gator Alert or Rave Alert (Rave Mobile Safety). Use the STOP command with caution, as this will also block the delivery of Broadcast Alert messages. NOTE: Please know that the VPCC Gator Alert System is a muti-delivery system, texting STOP only unsubscribes you from reciept of text messages. If you have provided email addresses, telephone numbers for voice alerts, etc. You must email optoutvpccgatoralert@vpcc.edu. Once you have sent your email, please provide 48-72 business hours for your unsubscribe request to be processed.
- Is there a subscriber fee for signing-up (opting-in) to receive SMS/Text notification/Alerts?
- No, there is no subscriber fee associated with your registration to receive notifications from VPCC Gator Alert. However, Standard SMS/text message, data, and/or phone rates from your wireless carrier or phone provider will apply and are not the responsibility of Virginia Peninsula Community College, their employees, agents, and/or contracted service providers.
- Is there a subscriber fee for signing-up (opting-in) to receive SMS/Text notification/Alerts?
- No, there is no subscriber fee associated with your registration to receive notifications from VPCC Gator Alert. However, Standard SMS/text message, data, and/or phone rates from your wireless carrier or phone provider will apply and are not the responsibility of Virginia Peninsula Community College, their employees, agents, and/or contracted service providers.
Opting Out (Unsubscribing) from Gator Alert Emergency Notifications
- You can unsubscribe or “opt-out” of Gator Alert (SMS/Text) messaging by texting STOP to 67283 or 226787 from your registered mobile phone. You will no longer receive ANY text messages from VPCC Gator Alert or Rave Alert (Rave Mobile Safety). Use the STOP command with caution, as this will also block the delivery of Broadcast Alert messages. NOTE: Please know that the VPCC Gator Alert System is a muti-delivery system, texting STOP only unsubscribes you from receipt of text messages. If you have provided email addresses, telephone numbers for voice alerts, etc. You must email optoutvpccgatoralert@vpcc.edu. Once you have sent your email, please provide 48-72 business hours for your unsubscribe request to be processed.
Gator Alert Emergency Notification System Test Schedule
Virginia Peninsula Community College Gator Alert Notification System Test Schedule*
- January: second Wednesday of the month at 11:00 AM – System Test Alert Messaging
- March: in coordination with the Virginia Statewide Tornado Drill (typically the second Tuesday of the month at 9:45 AM) – Tornado Exercise/Drill Alert with Protective Action Exercise/Drill Alert Messaging.
- July: second Wednesday of the month at 1100 AM – System Test Alert Massaging.
- October: in coordination with the International Shake Out Day a.k.a. The Great Shakeout – Earthquake Exercise (typically the third Thursday of October at 10:16 AM) – Earthquake Exercise/Drill Alert with Protective Action Exercise/Drill Alert Messaging.
* Test of the Gator Alert notification system will NOT be conducted if a real-world incident/event requiring Gator Alert issuance and/or National Weather Service severe weather alerts occur before or during the scheduled test date/time.
The Gator Alert notification system may be activated periodically in conjunction with scheduled exercises/drills. Typically, exercises and drills will be announced and alerts may include emergency alerts and protective action alerts and will include the test Exercise or Drill in the message.