BELLINGHAM - Western Washington University will test its emergency notification system Thursday morning, Oct. 18.

The system, known as Western Alert, notifies students, staff and others who sign up for alerts about important safety information affecting the campus.

The university will test the system starting at 10:45 a.m. The test will include broadcasting voice messages over the campus fire alarm system, sounding the Big Ole steam whistle, sending text messages and emails, and posting a message on WWU's Facebook and Twitter pages and the emergency communication page, emergency.wwu.edu.

Reach ZOE FRALEY at zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or call 756-2803. Visit her School Days blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/schools or get updates on Twitter at twitter.com/BhamSchools.