Emergency system sends test message to students
Tech’s system for notifying students in case of emergency via e-mail, text message, and telephone underwent a test on Jan. 29. Beginning at 11 a.m., students began receiving messages through the Georgia Tech Emergency Notification System (GTENS), clearly marked as tests.
The system was inadvertently “tested” last semester when the system was mistakenly set off during an evacuation of a single building due to a minor chemical explosion. When the GTENS was employed on that occasion, it was found that a variety of problems arose in delivering the messages to students on certain telephone carriers.
According to Andy Altizer, GTPD director of Emergency Preparedness, data from the test will be available soon.
GTRI researchers develop new anthrax killer
A new, highly effective, and inexpensive method of decontaminating bioterrorism hazards of anthrax uses a combination of X-rays and ultraviolet-C radiation to penetrate the outer spores and destroy the bacteria inside.
A prototype using this method was developed by researchers at GTRI in conjunction with Stellar Micro Devices of Austin, TX.
Using X-rays and UV-C radiation can kill anthrax in hidden areas, an advantage over the current method of using chlorine dioxide gas.