Severe Weather Procedures

SEVERE WEATHER PROCEDURES

It is always a good idea to review procedures for these types of situations. Please share this information with other people in your area.

Definitions:

Severe Weather - Includes thunder, lightening, hail, wind, and heavy rains
Tornado- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground.
Watch - Indicates that conditions are favorable for a particular type of weather to occur.
Warning - Indicates that a particular type of weather is or will soon be occurring.

Procedures: The Department of Campus Safety monitors the National Weather Service Radio at all times. In the event of severe weather or a tornado, this radio automatically sounds an alarm alerting on duty personnel of the situation.
Severe Weather Watch: Under these conditions the Department of Campus Safety will contact selected offices to inform them of current and forecasted conditions.
Tornado Watch: Under these conditions the Department of Campus Safety will contact selected offices on campus to inform them of current and forecasted conditions.
Severe Weather Warning: Under these conditions the Department of Campus Safety will contact all offices on campus to inform them of current and forecasted conditions. In the event that classes or college business would be suspended or terminated, the Department of Campus Safety will again contact selected offices on campus.
Tornado Warning: Under these conditions, all classes and college business are immediately terminated. The Department of Campus Safety will contact selected offices on campus to inform them of the conditions and give further instructions. If a tornado has been sighted in the immediate vicinity of the college, persons will be encouraged and directed to take refuge in the lowest levels of buildings, taking care to stay away from windows. After the tornado has passed or the all clear is issued, the Department of Campus Safety will again contact all offices on campus.

A TORNADO or THUNDERSTORM WATCH is issued by NOAA's National Severe Storms Forecast Center, Kansas City, Mo., to identify an area where conditions are favorable for TORNADO or SEVERE THUNDERSTORM formation. A watch alerts you to keep on with your daily routine, but be ready to respond to a warning.

A TORNADO or THUNDERSTORM WARNING is issued by your Local National Weather Service Facility, and means a TORNADO or SEVERE THUNDERSTORM has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Persons close to the storm should take shelter immediately, and remain there until the danger is past. Others should be prepared to take cover if threatening conditions are sighted.

What to do in case of a tornado warning/watch?
- When a tornado threatens, STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS, DOORS AND OUTSIDE WALLS.

ON CAMPUS PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE TO THE FOLLOWING AREA:

Academic Building	Move to the basement or tunnel.
Albertus Hall	Move to the basement. Keep away from windows
Art and Music Center	Leave building and go to the basement hallway of the Academic Building
Browne Center	Move to the basement
Bukowski Chapel	Move to the hallway area by bathrooms or hallway near office.
Campus Safety	Move to basement of Academic Building
Carriage House	Move to basement of Regina Hall
Dominican Hall	Move to the basement
Donnelly Center	Move to the basement hallways or Institutes' Conference Room
Fieldhouse	Move to the tunnel area outside the locker rooms
Fulton House	Move to the basement
Gatehouse	Move to basement
Grounds Building	Move to basement of Browne Center
Holmdene	Move to the basement
Hruby Hall	Move to the basement hallway by the Registrar's Office. Close hallway doors
Jordan Hall	Move to the basement of Jarecki/Lacks Centers; the stairs are located adjacent to Room 109.
Jarecki Center	Move to the basement; the stairs are located adjacent to Room 109.
Knape Hall	Move to the basement
Lacks Center	Move to the basement; the stairs are located adjacent to Room 109.
Maintenance Building	Move to the basement of the Academic Building
Meijer Hall	Move to the basement
Performing Arts Center	Move to the Audience Chamber or the Black Room.
Ravine Apartments (A, B, and C)	Move to the basement near Apartment 1.
Regina Hall	Move to the basement - not to the lounge area
St Joseph Hall	Move to the basement tunnel or first floor hallway
Theater Arts Annex	Move to the basement of Jarecki/Lacks Centers; the stairs are located adjacent to Room 109.
Wege Center	Move to the tunnel that connects Wege and the Academic Building
Willowbrook	Move to the basement
Woodcock Hall	Move to the basement
Woodward House	Move to the basement

Serve - Protect - Assist

Department of Campus Safety / 1607 Robinson Rd. S.E. / Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506-1799 / (616) 632-2462