WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Participation in the University of Maryland’s emergency text alert service is only half of what the official in charge of it had hoped for, despite a sign-up blitz last week.

As of Wednesday, only 13,069 people had registered, or 52 percent of the 25,000 Major Jay Gruber, who runs the system at College Park, had expected after promoting the system during emergency awareness week.

“I am disappointed because we did a considerable amount of work in getting the message out via numerous ... sources,” he said. Gruber said it takes less than a minute to sign up for the system, which is available to students, faculty, staff, parents, visitors and alumni. It was created in April after the Virginia Tech shootings.

People aren’t signing up because of “laziness and apathy,” he said.

Senior Chelsea Frankel, 21, who is registered for the system, agreed. “They are lazy or they don’t think about it,” she said. “They probably don’t want to go online and take the time. I know I did it when I was sitting at home and had nothing to do.”

But Ben Block, 22, said he hasn’t signed up because he works for the student newspaper, generally knows about incidents on campus and doesn’t want to be bombarded with texts about events that don’t affect him.

“I realize crime is happening, and I take the precautions that are necessary to make me feel safe,” Block said.

Senior Kelly Watson, 22, who lives off campus, said she didn’t know about the system. “I just go to my classes and come home.”

dfowler@dcexaminer.com