We will be carrying out a short test of the university’s emergency communications system, which operates through SafeZone. This test supports our preparations for Martyn’s Law and ensures that we can reach our community quickly and effectively in the event of a real incident.
This test will help us confirm that our systems work as intended and give you an idea of what an emergency alert will look and feel like.
- Test date: Wednesday 12 November, approximately 13.00
- Who will receive it: All staff and students with contact details recorded in Banner or ICIS
- How you’ll receive it:
- SMS text sent to your registered mobile number (the sender will appear as SafeZone)
- If you have the SafeZone app, you will also receive a push notification
No action is required when you receive the alert — it is for test purposes only. You can share feedback on your experience via our alerts page once the test concludes.
This test is separate from the UK Government’s national alert system. It will not override your phone’s settings or sound preferences.
About the test
- Why we are testing
- What to expect
- What you need to do before the test
- After the test - provide feedback
Our emergency alert system helps us warn and inform the university community during serious incidents.
Regular testing ensures:
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The system works as intended
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Messages reach people quickly via multiple channels
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Contact details are accurate and up to date
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Wording is clear and easy to understand
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We can respond effectively when it matters
SafeZone is our emergency alert system. However, you do not need the app to receive an alert during an emergency. During the test you will receive:
| Channel | Who receives it | Need the app? |
|---|---|---|
| SMS text | All staff and students with a mobile number recorded in Banner or ICIS | No |
| SafeZone push notification | Anyone with the SafeZone app | Yes |
Note: The SMS will appear as coming from SafeZone. This is the system we use to send emergency text alerts, but it does not store your personal details – only your mobile number is used to deliver the message.
This is a phone alert only. There will be no external alarms or sirens during the test.
Alert sound and settings
For this test, alerts will use your current phone settings. They will not override silent mode, do not disturb, or other sound preferences.
You will receive the alert whether or not you are on one of our campuses, this test will not be geofenced.
Before the test takes place, you should:
- Check your contact details in Banner or ICIS are correct — especially your mobile number
- Download the SafeZone app if you’d like to receive push notifications and access extra features like tip reporting or first aid requests
- Check your SafeZone app and notification settings - you do not need to be checked into the app to receive a notification, but you must be logged in / have it running in the background in order to receive a push notification.
- Let people around you know a test is planned to avoid unnecessary concern. This includes:
- Visitors who may be on campus at the time
- Colleagues on long-term leave who might not have seen earlier communications
We want to know how well the alert reached you and how clear it was.
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Feedback form link: [link will be made available nearer test date]
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Tell us if you received all expected channels (SMS, push notification)
FAQs
- I'm not a student or member of staff. Will I receive the alert?
- Can I opt out of receiving the alert?
- I’m on leave, overseas, or off campus — will I still receive the alert?
- Will it make a loud noise like the national emergency alert?
- Will my data be shared or stored by SafeZone?
- What should I do when I receive the alert?
- Will I be charged for receiving the alert?
- What if I don’t receive the alert?
- Will there be more tests in future?
No. Only staff and students whose contact details are recorded in Banner or ICIS (or have a Safezone account under your Imperial username) will receive the alert. We are exploring other ways to reach contractors, visitors, and partners in an emergency.
No. It isn’t possible to exclude individual records from this one-off test. The test helps ensure our systems can reach everyone who might need urgent information in an emergency.
If you prefer not to be disturbed, you can set your phone to silent or “do not disturb” before the test.
Yes. The alert is based on contact information, not location, so you’ll receive it wherever you are.
No. This test will not override your phone’s default settings or make a sound if your phone is on silent or “do not disturb”.
No. The system only uses your existing university contact details to send the alert and does not share personal information externally.
No action is required. The alert is for test purposes only. You’ll have the option to share feedback once the test concludes.
No. You will not be charged for receiving the SMS or push notification.
You can report this using the feedback form available after the test. This helps us identify any issues and improve future communications.
We don’t plan to carry out another large-scale test of the emergency communication system for some time.
However, we may run smaller SafeZone tests in the future. For example, sending notifications to users within a specific geofenced area to check local alert functionality.
If further tests are planned, we’ll always inform users in advance so you know what to expect.