Severe Weather Alerts

Department:

Circulation

Purpose:

To provide more detailed, consistent, and accurate instructions to the students who are using the building when the National Weather Service has issued thunderstorm warnings, tornado watches, and tornado warnings.

Overview:

During spring, late fall, and winter Northwest Indiana has severe weather; oftentimes severe weather warnings are issued. This procedure outlines the appropriate actions to ensure that the students, staff, and faculty who are using the building are as safe as possible. A basic overview of the tornado and all other emergency procedures can be found in the Emergency Manual at S:\CCLS\All Staff\Safety documentation\Safety Manuals, at S:\CCLS\Circulation & Media\Admin\Circ Student Work Folder (accessible to students at work stations), and in the Red Emergency Manual binder located on the north wall of the circulation desk.

Required Knowledge/Skills:

Access to the building PA system, Tornado warning signs, a basic familiarity with the emergency manual, and location understanding of all tornado shelter areas on both the first and second floors.

Safety Issues/Precautions:

Awareness of the weather situation outside in relation to the building. Possible flying glass and debris.

Equipment/Supplies:

Procedure

1. Before severe weather, advise student staff as they work what their roles in the situation may be.

2. When a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, get the weather signs and announcement scripts from the cabinet beneath the cash register.

3. Make the Thunderstorm Warning Announcement

4. Fill out and place the Thunderstorm Warning signs in the following locations:

5. If a tornado watch is issued, replace the Thunderstorm Warning signs with the Tornado Watch sign. There is no announcement for this.

6. If a tornado warning is issued, make the announcement, and have the students replace the Tornado Watch signs with the Tornado Warning signs. The sign in the ASB hallway will be moved into the middle of the hall so it is seen as patrons are walking in.

7. Student staff will be stationed in the ASRS tornado Shelter as well as the Northwest corner of the Technology Area Tornado shelter. To encourage patrons to stay in tornado shelters. We cannot force anyone to remain in the building during the warning, but we can strongly encourage them to do so.

8. Starting with the fourth floor and working down, a manager will check all bathrooms, study rooms, and offices to ensure patrons move down to the shelters quickly and in an orderly fashion.

9. Once a manager has verified that all patrons are off the floor, they will then move to the next floor.

10.   Once all floors have been cleared, the manager(s) will be stationed in a tornado shelter either on the first or second floor.

11.   If there are two managers, one will be on the first floor and the other will remain in the ASRS sorting area tornado shelter to provide directions to all patrons who enter the building after the floors have been cleared. If there is only one manager, they will remain in the ASRS area to monitor both the main entrance and the monitors to see if people are coming in on the first floor.

12.   If patrons are seen entering the building on the first floor and there is only one manager, they can use the phone in the ASRS area to repeat the warning announcement.

13.   Once the warning has been lifted, the manager makes the end of tornado warning announcement.

Tornado shelter areas:

First Floor:

·         Inside loading dock area near the ASRS and mechanical rooms.

·         Northwest corner of technology alcove

·         Back of vending machine room

·         Restrooms

Second Floor:

·         Relaxation Room

·         Classroom 261A

·         ASRS sorting area

·         Restrooms

·         Classroom 205