The San Jacinto College Office of Emergency Management, Campus Police and Information Technology Services (ITS) have teamed up to bring the campus community another emergency communication tool: The Desktop Panic Button.
This feature will give anyone with access to a San Jacinto College ITS-managed computer the ability to contact the police for help in an emergency.
Panic buttons are for emergency use only. Non-emergency situations should still be handled by calling the police non-emergency line at 281-476-1820.
The desktop panic button is installed on all ITS-managed computers, including those in classrooms, labs and common meeting spaces. The panic button and the additional panic form button have also been installed on faculty/staff computers – you can verify your computer has the panic button icon as noted below.
Where is the Panic Button?
- On computers running Windows, the desktop panic button is located in the taskbar on the bottom, right-hand corner of your screen near the digital clock. If you cannot find it on the taskbar, click the upward arrow ^ on the taskbar, then select the red button.
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On computers running MacOS, the desktop panic button is located in the taskbar on the top, right-hand corner of your screen near the digital clock.
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A red panic icon is also installed on your desktop; You can activate the system from there as well (Windows Only).
To activate the Panic Button, please follow these simple steps:
- Select the Panic button as noted above (system tray or desktop icon) – a pop-up window will open.
- Enter the information in the “Request Emergency Assistance” pop-up window. None of the fields are required. You can send the request with all the fields blank if needed, the police will try to locate you based on computer registration. If time permits, include your name, phone number, and a brief description of the emergency you are reporting. This information helps Dispatchers and Police Officers determine what resources would be needed.
- When complete, press “Send Alert.” A notification message will be immediately sent to SJC Police Dispatch. Click “OK” on the confirmation page to dismiss the message.
Q & A’s:
- What if the panic button doesn’t activate properly?
- If the e-panic button malfunctions in an emergency, please immediately call SJC Police at 5555 from a campus phone or (281) 476-9128.
- If you are testing your panic button and experience an issue in a non-emergency setting, please call Tech Support at 6137 or open a tech support ticket at techsupport@sjcd.edu.
- What if my computer is department-managed and not supported by ITS? Can I get the e-panic button?
- Possibly. Please coordinate with your department and ITS to evaluate. They can work together to get the client installed on your computer.
- Does my work laptop have the panic button?
- It depends. Again, if your laptop is ITS supported, then you should have the client. If it is department-managed, refer to the question above for installation.
- Will my panic button on my laptop work if I’m at home?
- No. This function is only available when you are on the SJC network. Also, if you keep your laptop at home, please bring it in so you can run necessary updates on the network, otherwise the panic button will not be installed. You must plug in your laptop to an ethernet cable or log in to the secure WiFi with your login credentials and restart the device to receive updates; please leave it plugged in for at least an hour.
- I have Windows 10, and my Alertus is prompting me with an administrator error – what do I do?
- Some users of Windows 10 (not all) may get a prompt requiring an administrator approval; however, you can click “approve” at the bottom of the prompt to proceed. You do not need administrator approval to utilize Alertus. If you continue to have trouble, please contact ITS.
- Tip for Laptop Users:
- Laptops are registered by ITS based on the primary office location of the user. If you move your laptop and do not update your location, PD may respond to your office instead of where you are. If you are activating the panic button from a laptop, please update your location in the Building and Room Number fields.
- Tip for Faculty:
- If you are using a projector in classrooms, you can deactivate the projector screen prior to activating the e-panic button for discretion purposes. On podiums with touchscreens, select the “Projector Mute” button; on older podiums with manual buttons, select “Pic Mute” next to the projector on/off buttons. Not all classrooms have these projector options, so please familiarize yourself with classroom technology.
- What if I don’t know my room number?
- If you don’t know your room number, put in the best description you can to guide the responding police officers to you. Any information you can provide to narrow down your location helps e.g. “computer pit in the ILC building” or “upstairs study room in the library."
For technical/installation questions, please contact the ITS helpdesk at techsupport@sjcd.edu or by calling 6137. For all other Alertus questions, please contact the Office of Emergency Management at oem@sjcd.edu or by calling 6311. Be Ready SanJac!