The Outdoor Emergency Notification Sirens are an important component to the University’s Emergency Notification Network, a comprehensive crisis communications solution.  PLEASE NOTE that the ENN sirens are only on the Coral Gables campus at this time.  The ENN siren tone is a sequence of 12 short, 1 second blasts followed by approximately 1-2 seconds of silence. This pattern is repeated for 1 minute.  At the same time, a blue strobe visible in some areas will activate.  The emergency notification siren tone is designed to alert those individuals who are outside on the Coral Gables Campus, that a critical life safety incident is taking place.  The siren may also be audible inside some parts of various buildings on campus.

For the most part, there will be two primary responses to any critical life safety event: (1) shelter in place/ lockdown; (2) evacuate.  Since there is only one Outdoor Emergency Notification Siren tone, there is no way to know which action should be taken just by hearing the tone. 

Therefore, it is critical that individuals who hear the tone immediately seek further information.  The Outdoor Emergency Notification Siren is just one component of the redundant ENN system; if you hear the siren, check your cell phone for a voice or text message, check your email, check the University’s website, call the UM Hurricane Hotline, ask other people in the immediate area if they received an emergency communication or gather information in any other way you can.  All emergency messages will not only give information on what has occurred, but they will given information on specific actions you need to take.

It is paramount that the University community recognizes that there is also a Lightening Prediction System installed on campus that also has a warning siren component.  When conditions for a lightning strike exist, the system will give a 15-second continuous siren tone blast.  At the same time, an amber strobe visible in some areas will activate.  Once the potential for a lighting strike has passed, the system will emit three short 5-second blasts.

A similar horn assembly is used for both the Outdoor Emergency Notification Siren tone and the Lightening Prediction System Warning tone.  The difference is in the sequence and frequency of blasts.