The administration at Rockland Community College unveiled its new high-tech emergency notification system Thursday.

School officials say the goal of the new system is to keep students and members of faculty and staff informed if an emergency happens anywhere on the 165-acre campus.

Many of the college buildings are already equipped with emergency phones, lights and message boards, but security officials say the current communications system is lacking.

"Our communications were not as good as we thought they could be,? says Director of Public Safety Bill Murphy.

Following a string of incidents on college campuses across the country, specifically the Virginia Tech massacre in April of 2007, security officials felt it was time for a change.

"We want one consistent and quick message to get out to everybody,? Murphy says.

Students will soon be able to sign up for free text messages or e-mails to alert them in case of an emergency right away. In addition, intercoms will be installed on all the floors of the buildings, and a siren will be set up near the student union offices.

"If there's an emergency I can go home, tell my friends or people that are here that I care about and who want to know what's going on with the school," says a student Paul Cherimond.

The notification system was funded by the student government and local leaders, who raised some $200,000.

All the components of the new system are expected to be put in place by December, beginning with a siren that is scheduled to go up in two weeks.