Register For WVM Alert

 WVM Alert FAQs

WVM ALERT! Emergency Notification System

When Seconds Count - Your Safety is Our Priority
 
WVM Alert Frequently Asked Questions 10/1/2019

1. What is WVM Alert?

WVM Alert is the Campus emergency messaging system used by West Valley and Mission colleges to ALERT students, faculty, staff, contractors and visitors of emergencies and other situations affecting our campuses. 

As a part of this service you will periodically receive text, voice and email messages. The system is tested twice per semester and used for actual emergencies as necessary.
Messages are sent by West Valley Mission Community College District Police, Emergency Management personnel, the Public Information Officer or other trained staff.
This service is compatible with the products and services provided by AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, and most other mobile phone carriers. A complete list of supported carriers is displayed during phone registration.

2. How are the messages sent to me?

Due to the mobile nature of many campus affiliates, cell phones are often the best way to reach the campus population during an emergency. Campus safety officials will use voice calls and text messages to cell phones to ensure delivery and comprehension of the message. Email messages and office phones may also be used. 

CREATE A CONTACT ON YOUR PHONE for WVM Alert.  The phone number will always be the same 408-855-5544.  That way you will know it is WVM Alert calling.

WVM Alert is not the only way we notify you of emergencies.
If you hear the fire alarm – evacuate the building
If you hear instructions via the public address system – follow the instructions given. The PA system is not available in every campus building at this time.
If a classroom phone rings – answer it and follow instructions
If you are asked to take action by a Campus Emergency Response Team member wearing a reflective vest – follow their directions
If you see instructions on the campus electronic signs or campus website – take appropriate action
If you receive a message on Social Media (campus Facebook or Twitter) - be sure the message is from an Official source (campus police, campus President, etc) before taking action.

3. What situations prompt a WVM Alert?

Situations could include
Lockdown – Active Shooter - Run or Hide or Fight based on situation
Building Evacuation 
Campus Closure 
Shelter in Place - Event requiring everyone to stay indoors (different from a Lockdown) 
Semester System Test

4. What should I do when I receive a WVM Alert?

Each situation requires a different set of actions.

Watch the Campus Safety Video on the District website at www.wvm.edu/emergency and click on “Safety Training”. You’ll find detailed Emergency Guidelines and other emergency information under “Emergency Guidelines”. There are also posters positioned around campus and in classrooms that provide instructions. 

If you are driving and receive a WVM Alert pull over, when convenient, and read or listen to the message before you enter the campus.

5. How will you send out emergency updates?

Updates about the event will be posted on Facebook and Twitter.  If you don’t have accounts, you can still access the information via links posted on the www.wvm.edu/emergency site under “Emergency Info Updates”

Facebook:
•  You do not have to have a Facebook account to view the Facebook page.  Just type the link on the URL line on your web browser or save the link in your contacts.

Twitter:
•  Mission College Twitter @missioncolleges (yes, there is an “s” at the end)
•  West Valley College Twitter @WestValleyCC
•  You do not have to have a Twitter account to get updates on Twitter.  Just type the @name on the URL line on your web browser.  Save it in your contacts for reference.
Note:  There is an old twitter account called @missioncollege1, no longer in use

6. Is there a fee for this service?

The service does not charge any fees; however, your standard mobile device charges do apply.

7. Can anyone sign up for WVM Alert campus emergency notifications?

Anyone may sign up for campus emergency messages sent to West Valley and/or Mission College.  Click the Other Affiliates page to begin.

If you are a student, full-time staff or faculty working the current semester, you are automatically registered.  See FAQ10 for log-in information.

8.  Will you test the system?

WVM Alert is tested every semester.  You will receive an email notice at least 24 hours before the test so you can update your College Web Services Portal information if necessary.  All test messages clearly say “THIS IS A TEST”.

9. How will I know if I have an account?  

All students, faculty and full time staff should have an account.  

If you are a student, full-time staff or faculty working the current semester, you are automatically registered.  See Question FAQ 10 for log-in information.

10. How do I log in for the first time if I was automatically registered as Student/Staff/Faculty?

Click on the WVM Alert link at the top of the home page of www.wvm.edu. The User Name is the email you use for College Web Services Portal. Click “Forgot My Password”.  Your temporary password will be sent to the email address.  If no account exists, you will need to Self-Register.  

11. I’m trying to register but the system says I already have an account.

If you are student, faculty or full time staff, you were automatically loaded into the system.  Use your College Web Services Portal email address as the User Name and Click “Forgot My Password”.  Your temporary password will be sent to your email address.  

If you share an email address with another person, only one set of contact information can be included.  You can self-register with another email address or change your email address in College Web Services.

12. The system is asking me to verify my email address.  Do I need to do this?

For Self-Registered users
YES!  You must follow the prompts to verify your email address and then log back into your WVM Alert account to Opt-In to the campuses you want to receive alerts from.

For Automatically Registered users
No.  Verification is not necessary.

13. How do I add myself to a Campus Opt-In list or change campuses?

For Self-Registered users
You must OPT-IN to a specific campus. Click the tab in your WVM Alert account that says Opt-In Lists and select one or both campuses. 

Automatically registered users are already set up in campus lists.  If you feel you should be receiving alerts from both campuses and are not, log in to your account and follow steps above.  See FAQ 10 to log in to your account.

14. If you already have my Registration email address, why do you need a Preferred email address?

Specifying a Preferred email address allows for the delivery of WVM Alert generated email to addresses other than the one you used when registering for this service.  If you frequently use an email account other than the one specified within the Registration email field, we recommend you add these addresses as Preferred email addresses.  Preferred email addresses may be added at any time within the My Account tab under Email.

15. What are Voice Only Line Contacts used for?

Broadcast Alerts can include a recorded voice message sent to your Voice Only Line contacts. When you specify a voice only line, you are requesting to receive any voice messages included as part of a campus emergency message.

16. If I did not enter my phone number during registration, can I go back and enter it at a later time?

For Self-Registered users
Yes. To enter your mobile phone, visit the My Account tab, and click the “Add” button within the Mobile Contacts section. If you wish to provide a landline, VoIP, or other phone that cannot receive text messages, you can enter it within the Voice Only Line contacts section.

For Automatically Registered users
Your phone numbers are already entered.  Update them in the College Web Services Portal.

17. How do I edit my WVM Alert account information?

Do you have access to the College Web Services Portal?
If your College Web Services Portal account has current contact information, your WVM Alert contact information will be current as well. The College Web Services Portal information will overwrite any WVM Alert system contact edits made inside WVM Alert system.

No College Web Services Portal Access
Log-in to your WVM Alert account and click “Edit”.

18. How do I update my information in College Web Services Portal?

1.       Login to College Web Services from the campus or District website
a.     https://ssb-prod.ec.wvm.edu/PROD/twbkwbis.P_WWWLogin
2.       Select Personal Information
a.       Select Update Addresses and Phones
b.       Select Update Email Addresses

19. I’m not receiving voice messages on my cell phone.

For Self-Registered users only
Log-in to your account and make sure that you Confirmed your phone number.  The system must send you a text code that you enter on the website to confirm that the phone number is correct.  Until this is done, you will not receive calls.

Also check to see that you registered for an Opt-In list.  (See FAQ 13 above.)

To receive voice messages on your mobile device, click the “Enable Voice Message Delivery” checkbox to turn on voice alert delivery for the selected phone.

For Auto-Registered users
Confirm that your phone number is current in College Web Services Portal.  If you are still having problems, email [email protected].

20.  I’m not receiving text messages on my cell phone.

If you are not receiving text messages, your mobile carrier may be enforcing a text messaging block on your account. Contact your carrier and ask that messages from shortcodes 67283 and 226787 be delivered to your mobile device

For Self-Registered users
Also check to see that you registered for a GROUP.  (See FAQ 13 above.)

If you have previously texted “Stop”, and now want to receive texts, you must delete the phone number, re-add it.

21. How do I change my email address?

For Self-Registered users
Visit the My Account tab. Within the Email section, click the “Edit” button associated with the email address you wish to modify. Follow the instructions for entering your new Preferred email address.

For Auto-Registered Users
Update your email in the College Web Services Portal.

22. How do I change my mobile number?

For Self-Registered Users
Visit the My Account tab, and click the Edit button next to the mobile number you would like to change. Enter the new mobile number you want to use in the fields provided, and click “Continue”.  

When changing Mobile Contact (1) [your primary mobile number], you will receive a text message containing a 4-digit confirmation code.  You must enter this confirmation code within this website to complete the primary mobile phone registration process.

For Auto-Registered Users
Updates to contact information in WVM Alert will be overwritten by the College Web Services Portal.  Update contact information in the College Web Services Portal ONLY.

23. How do I change my password?

Click on the My Account tab. Within the User Profile section, click the “Edit” link.  Instructions for changing your password are provided.  

24. How do I remove text messaging?

You may remove text messages by texting STOP to 67283 or 226787 or 78015 or 81437 or 22911 from your registered mobile phone. 

Note: Text messages are the fastest way to receive emergency messages.  
When you remove this notification method, you may put yourself and others at risk because you are not aware of in progress campus emergencies.
The District is not responsible for any adverse consequences resulting from your decision. If you have questions, please email [email protected]

25. How do I stop voice messages to cell phones or landlines?

For Self-Registered users and Auto-Registered users
Go to the My Account tab, and click the Edit link associated with your Mobile Contact. 

UNCHECK the Enable Voice Message Delivery checkbox.

Self-Registered users may delete the number.

26. How do I set up my account to ONLY receive voice messages?

For Self-Registered users
To receive ONLY voice messages on a particular mobile device (no text), text STOP to 67283 or 226787 or 78015 or 81437 or 22911 from your registered mobile phone. 

Note: When you remove any notification methods, you may put yourself and others at risk because you are not aware of in progress campus emergencies.
The District is not responsible for any adverse consequences resulting from your decision.  If you have questions, please email [email protected]

27. How do I delete my Account / Opt Out?

For Self-Registered users
Log-in to your account and click “Delete”.  You may create a new account at any time.

For Automatically Registered students, staff or faculty
If you click the “Delete” button, your information will NOT be deleted because the College Web Services Portal reloads all student, staff and faculty names into WVM Alert every evening.  The only way for it to “stick” is to do the following:

You may Opt Out of text messages by texting STOP to 67283 or 226787 or 78015 or 81437 or 22911 from your registered mobile phone.  You may also UNCHECK the Enable Voice Message Delivery checkbox, effectively removing you from all methods except email.

Auto-Registered users may not Opt Out of email messages. We encourage you to enable as many messaging methods as possible to increase the likelihood and speed of receiving a given emergency message.

Note: When you remove any notification methods, you may put yourself and others at risk because you are not aware of in progress campus emergencies. The District is not responsible for any adverse consequences resulting from your decision. If you have questions, please email [email protected]

28. I deleted my account but I’m still getting messages.

If you are part of the automatically registered group, you cannot delete your account.  Your information is being reloaded every evening.  You may STOP text messages and uncheck the Enable Voice box in your account. (See FAQ 27).  You will still receive emails. 

If you are no longer a student/staff/faculty, our records may need to be updated.  (See FAQ 30) for phone numbers to call.  If all else fails, email [email protected]

For Self-Registered users
Try the Delete option again. (See FAQ 27)

29. What happens when I opt out completely?

Opting Out will remove you from the WVM Alert notification system.  
You will no longer receive campus emergency notifications to your phone or email.
Note: When you remove any notification methods, you may put yourself and others at risk because you are not aware of in progress campus emergencies.
The District is not responsible for any adverse consequences resulting from your decision. 


For Self-Registered users
Only self-registered users may completely opt out.  

For Automatically Registered users
Students, staff and faculty must receive email messages (See FAQ 27). If you have questions, please email [email protected]

30. I am no longer a student, staff, faculty but I'm still getting the messages.

If you were automatically registered in the system, contact the following people to have your campus records updated.
Students – West Valley Admissions and Records 408-741-2001
Students – Mission Admissions and Records 408-855-5000
Faculty, Community Ed Instructors – Human Resources 408-741-2061
Classified Staff  - Human Resources 408-741-2161
Part time or Student Hourly – Human Resources 408-741-2171

The system records will not update unless the campus records are up-to-date.

If you self-registered, you may log into your WVM Alert account and delete it (See FAQ 27)

31. You have the wrong number!

If you believe that you are receiving this information in error, email 
[email protected]. If you are a former student, staff or faculty member, see FAQ 30 above.

32. What is Rave Mobile Safety?

On July 1, 2015, Rave Mobile Safety was contracted by the District as the notification platform to support campus emergency messages.  
Rave does not charge subscribers to send or receive SMS messages. Message and data rates may apply. Please refer to your mobile phone contract for more information. You can opt out of SMS messages at any time by texting STOP to 67283 or 226787 or 78015 or 81437 or 22911.