In the spring of 2007, the country watched as a 23-year-old student opened fire on the campus of Virginia Tech.
Ever since, universities across the country spent countless hours increasing their security efforts to avoid another tragedy.
This semester, Youngstown State University took another step to ensure student safety by installing a message alert system.
"We thought this would best serve the campus community because with this system the only thing it broadcasts are the alerts, no advertisements and nothing," said Lt. Mike Cretella with the YSU Police Department. "We just want what we want to broadcast."
About 4,000 students, faculty and staff signed up for the system so far. But officials hope 80 percent of campus will get on board.
Parents are also able to sign up to ease their fears.
So if a crisis strikes, whether it's a fire or shooting, a text message and email alert will go out to everyone on the list advising them how to react.
But that's not the only time the $9,000 system will get used.
"In the event of weather closings on campus we'll be able to send out a text message to everybody to know classes are canceled," Cretella said.
The police department tested the system for the first time, and said it takes between 30 seconds to two minutes for the messages to reach all 4,000 phones.
