False alarm at Ottawa U
Posted Nov 26, 2010 06:53:21 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Students and staff at the University of Ottawa are breathing easier after learning an email warning of a lockdown and violent aggressor was a ‘test’ message gone awry.
The university is launching a new email notification system and had accidentally sent the warning out Thursday urging recipients to close and lock doors, turn off lights, silence cell phones and stay away from doors and windows until further instruction.
The message flooded 3000 in-boxes. Within 15 minutes of having noticed the error, University spokesperson Vincent Lamontagne said they took measures to stop the message from going out to anyone else and posted a note on its website notifying people about the mistake.
The university apologized to students and staff for any alarm caused.
