BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Text messages will soon alert people of emergencies in Carroll’s schools as the county becomes the latest to employ the system.

Colleges and universities throughout the country recently started setting up text message systems to send emergency notifications after the Virginia Tech massacre.

Carroll has followed their lead after a threat was made to “shoot up” Century High School in September, which prompted all the county’s schools to be locked down — the first time in the history of the school system.

The county had been preparing for a text message system before the threat and hope to have it running by the time students return from winter break next month.

“I think it’s a fabulous idea,” said Deanne Caracciolo, Parent Teacher Student Organization president at Century. “When I was a kid, we didn’t have text messages or e-mail, so I think they do a great job working together and text messages can only help.”

The school system will continue its eschoolnewsletter e-mail system to communicate with parents about everyday events at schools; the text message system will be used only for emergencies, said Steve Guthrie, schools assistant superintendent.

Parents who want to sign up for text messages will be notified by the e-mail system when it’s ready, and when texts are sent, they will be charged at the typical rate, Guthrie said.

Anne Arundel and Howard counties also use text message systems, while Harford and Baltimore counties use automated phone calls to alert parents.

Everybody seems to use a cell phone these days, so a system that alerts parents through them would be most helpful, said Nancy Milliken, PTA president at Winters Mill High School.

“You rely on it,” Milliken said of cell phones. “That’s the world right now, you know.”

msilvestri@baltimoreexaminer.com