Case Study: University of Massachusetts Amherst achieves reliable campus-wide emergency notification with Acoustic Technology, Inc. (ATI Systems)

Emergency Warning System for the University of Massachusetts Amherst Campus

In February 2009 Acoustic Technology, Inc. was contracted to install a public emergency warning system for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. UMass Amherst, the flagship campus with over 26,000 students on nearly 1,450 acres, needed an effective campus-wide notification method; Acoustic Technology, Inc. supplied an emergency warning solution that included eight 3200‑Watt High Powered Speaker Stations (HPSS32) and a control station with a Central Control Unit (CCU) and the company’s Advanced Software Package.

Acoustic Technology, Inc. implemented the system using its proprietary acoustic modeling for optimal speaker placement, encrypted time-synchronized FSK radio communications, and a robust digital data packet to minimize interference; all critical equipment has battery backup and the CCU provides at least eight hours of backup power. The system — capable of tone alerts, pre-recorded voice messages and live public address, with programmable silent tests and automatic fault reporting — was fully operational by the start of the fall semester, delivering reliable, campus‑wide audibility and improved security and monitoring for the UMass Amherst community.

University of Massachusetts Amherst