Missouri State to send mass text messages in case of disaster

Missouri State to send disaster text messages

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Missouri State University will set up a mass text messaging service to send alerts to students' and staff members' cell phones during emergencies like the Virginia Tech shootings. Missouri State president Michael Nietzel told a meeting of the university's board that the school will spend $300,000 this year implementing several recommendations by a safety task force. It will follow up on other recommendations in the next three to five years, he said. Besides text messaging, steps to be taken this year include buying emergency generators for the campus phone and computer networks and educating students, faculty and staff on safety.