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Enrollment Management and Services 
Parents and Families Services

Safety and Emergency Preparedness

NC State has a Responsible Behavior Initiative. As part of its mission, the education provided for students emphasizes responsibility to oneself and the community. Talk with your student about decision-making, expectations and general best practices for personal safety. 

Here are a few tips to highlight

  • Be aware of surroundings when walking at night
  • Communicate any suspicious activity with an RA or university administrator
  • Do not give out access codes for residence halls
  • Do not leave items unattended at any time
  • Do not prop doors open
  • Do not walk with headphones in
  • Always keep the door to your residence hall room locked
  • Lock your vehicle
  • Remain in well-lit areas
  • Report lost keys immediately
  • Students are required to register bicycles with NC State University Transportation (free of charge)
  • Take responsibility for personal safety and security

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency planning and preparedness are key to minimizing the impact of an unplanned event. For our students, NC State encourages them to make a plan and pack a bag!

Be Pack Ready

Have a communication plan in place with your student so you both know how you would communicate in the event of an emergency on campus.

Remind your student(s) that without charge, cell phone batteries will go dead and suggest that they keep emergency phone numbers written down in case they need assistance. Personal emergency plans should also identify alternate locations and emergency exits.

Discuss with your student strategies and locations should an emergency occur that forces an unanticipated exit.

Pack a Bag

We recommend being ready to move quickly with an emergency kit (bag) and have the following supplies readily available in residence halls, apartments, homes and offices for the first 24 hours of an event or until normal conditions return:

  • At least 1 gallon of drinking water
  • Blankets or sleeping bag
  • Chargers for electronics
  • First aid kit
  • Flashlight with batteries
  • Food for pets
  • Non-perishable food and can opener
  • Prescription medications and eyeglasses

More resources for Pack Ready Emergency Planning can be found online at https://go.ncsu.edu/packready.

Emergency Communications at NC State for Students

WolfAlert is NC State’s official emergency communication system. NC State takes the safety of its community very seriously and with only the highest regard. In an emergency, different options are available for updates and directions.  For more information, visit go.ncsu.edu/emergency

For students on campus, the following WolfAlert communication options may be used:

Audible Alerts via Siren Around campus, mounted speakers send audible signals to widespread areas. Generally, these messages will be brief with specific instructions and direct listeners on how to stay up-to-date.

Billboard Screens Messages can be delivered to electronic billboards located in common areas across campus. 

Email Alerts Broadcast emails are delivered to all official University email accounts containing yourUnityID@ncsu.edu.

Social Media “Like” the NC State Wolf Alert page (@wolfalert) to receive Facebook Alerts or follow Wolf Alert (@wolfalert) on X (formerlyTwitter) to stay up to date. 

Student Text Alerts NC State students can receive text messages on their cell phones with safety alerts. The message will be brief and contain safety instructions or details they need to know immediately. Your student should verify their contact number in the MyPack Portal. 

University Homepage The university uses its homepage for alerts. When an alert is active, a banner will appear near the top of the page. Depending upon the level of alert, a simple advisory message or a full WolfAlert may be communicated in the banner. When additional information about an event is available, it will be communicated on a “More Information” page linked to the banner.

Desktop Notifications Alertus is a desktop notification software for devices connected to the NC State network. The University can post emergency alerts to individual computers via Alertus.

Adverse Conditions Hotline The University uses (919) 513.8888 for various announcements, including adverse weather and emergencies.

Emergency Information for Families

WolfAlerts are designated for students, faculty and staff. Parents and families off-campus are encouraged to download the NC State On Campus app to receive notifications and emergency information. To receive emergency information, turn on “Enable WolfAlerts.” 

Contact Us.

For more information or questions for Environmental Health and Public Safety, contact us at (919) 515.6655.