Communications
During an emergency, official information will be posted on the Caltech website.
At the same time, the Institute will communicate directly with students, postdoctoral scholars, staff, faculty, and visitors through a variety of channels, including sending Caltech Alert notifications to personal devices, campus beacons, and through Caltech's Everbridge 360 app.
Together all of these communications channels comprise Caltech's Emergency Notification System, which utilizes Everbridge technologies.
Caltech Alerts
Caltech Alerts emergency messages can be distributed to Caltech community member with an access.caltech.edu account. Notifications can be sent using four communication methods:
- Voice calls/messages to your home, work, and mobile phones
- An e-mail to your primary e-mail address
- An SMS text message to your mobile phone
- Alerts to the Everbridge App
All members of the community are asked to maintain accurate and update-to-date contact information in their access.caltech account. This will ensure that you are able to receive critical notifications in a timely manner and on all available platforms.
Instructions on updating your information on Access (PDF)
Mobile App
Caltech utilizes the Everbridge 360 app. If you downloaded an Everbridge app prior to May 2024, please delete it and replace it with the new Everbridge 360 app. Everbridge 360 can be downloaded from your device's app store.
The Everbridge 360 app receives Caltech Alerts and provides enhanced access to new features that streamline the way in which members of the community may interact with Caltech Security personnel.
- SOS (Mobile Panic Button)
- The SOS feature, when activated on campus, sends an alert to Security Dispatch with your name, phone number, and last known location of your device.
- This feature should be used when you believe you are in a Life Safety situation while on campus.
- The app will record audio and video on your cellular device while simultaneously uploading the live stream/recording to the Everbridge platform.
- Safe Corridor
- The Safe Corridor feature is designed as a virtual escort for walking around campus. The user will select a 4-digit pin code to input into the app within a designated period. If the user fails to input the pin code within the predetermined time, the app initiates an SOS response, alerting dispatch and deploying a security officer to the last known location of the device as described above.
- Call Caltech Security
- This is a one-touch button feature which connects the user directly to Caltech security dispatch without requiring the user to otherwise dial-in or initiate a phone call.
- Non-Emergency option: This option will dial (626) 395-4701.
- Emergency option: This option will dial (626) 395-5000. When off campus, always dial 911 in an emergency.
- This is a one-touch button feature which connects the user directly to Caltech security dispatch without requiring the user to otherwise dial-in or initiate a phone call.
- Comms
- This feature provides an archive of the most recent Caltech Alerts.
Organizational Code for the app is: Caltech
Instructions for registering for downloading the App and our app disclosures are provided below.
Caltech Everbridge 360 App Instructions and Disclosures
Alert Beacons
Caltech has installed over a dozen Alertus Alert beacons across campus. These beacons will supplement the Caltech Emergency Notification System. The purpose of the public facing beacons are to help with notification for visitors of Caltech who may not receive the Caltech Alerts, and for Caltech community members who may not have their electronic devices with them.
Depending the emergency on campus, the beacons may give off an audible tone, flash red or green strobe lights, and display the emergency notification on the screen. The beacons will prioritize life safety Caltech Alerts. When they are not displaying a notification, they will display the current time. The beacons are not meant for two-way communication with campus officials.
Current Locations: American Institute of Mathematics, Athenaeum, Baxter Auditorium, Beckman Auditorium, BI Auditorium, Broad Café, Browne Dining Hall, Caltech Hall Lobby, Central Utility Plant, EH&S Lobby, Facilities Service Center, Keith Spalding Lobby, Ramo Auditorium, Red Door Café, Satellite Utility Plant, and Security Dispatch.