Northwest encourages campus community to prepare for severe weather, participate in tornado drill

Northwest Missouri State University, along with the National Weather Service, the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and local emergency management offices, are organizing tornado drills during March in preparation for severe weather.

Northwest will test its indoor emergency operations, including the Bearcat Alert texting system, during tornado drills at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, and Wednesday, March 11. In case of actual inclement weather on the days of the scheduled tornado drills, Northwest will test at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 18.

“Consistent practice with emergency procedures is significant in performing well during an actual event,” University Police Chief Amanda Cullin said. “We encourage the campus community to contact UPD when they need assistance, 24/7.”

Severe weather procedures are posted prominently in campus offices and throughout each building on the Northwest campus, and they are accessible on the HazAdapt app. The University encourages campus-wide participation in the drill.

In partnership with Wellness Services, the University Police Department also will host its annual Bobby Palooza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, on the east pavilion outside the J.W. Jones Student Union. Burgers and hot dogs will be provided with safety information as students gear up for Spring Break.

When Northwest students and employees hear broadcast drill messages or outdoor warning sirens, they should know where to seek shelter. In areas where a tornado shelter does not exist, the safest shelter location is an interior room without windows on the lowest level of a building.

Missouri Severe Weather Preparedness Week

The tornado drill at Northwest will occur in alignment with a statewide drill and Missouri Severe Weather Preparedness Week, March 2-6. The annual effort by the National Weather Service, SEMA and Missouri’s local emergency managers helps Missourians prepare for dangerous tornadoes, severe storms, lightning and flooding.

In addition to severe weather preparedness, Missouri’s Storm Aware website includes detailed videos showing how to take shelter in specific types of buildings – such as houses with and without basements, mobile homes and schools – as well as important information about tornado sirens and weather alert radios.

Northwest tests its warning system at 11 a.m. each Wednesday, weather permitting. Any deployment of the warning system outside of that time should be considered an actual emergency and immediate action should be taken.

For more information about preparing for severe weather on the Northwest campus, contact the University Police Department at 660.562.1254 or police@nwmissouri.edu, or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/police/. 

Be prepared when a tornado watch is issued

• A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop. Pay attention to changing weather and plan your activities with that in mind.
• Check the forecast often to see if a tornado is coming. Listen to local news or a NOAA weather radio, or check official social media channels, to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.
• Review your options for sheltering and transportation routes. If you can’t stay at home, make plans to go to a public shelter.
• Never drive into standing water. It can take less than six inches of fast-moving water to make a slow-moving car float. Once floating, a vehicle can overturn and sink.

Take cover when a tornado warning is issued

• A tornado warning means seek shelter immediately. Take cover in a safe room, basement, storm cellar or a small interior room without windows on the lowest level of a sturdy building.
• Immediately leave a mobile home to seek shelter in a nearby building.
• Do not seek shelter in a cafeteria, gymnasium or other large open room because the roof might collapse.
• If you are driving, stop and take shelter in a nearby building. Overpasses are not safe and can cause a dangerous wind tunnel effect.
• If you are driving in a rural area, seek shelter in a roadside ditch. Be prepared to move quickly in case the ditch fills with water.
• Protect yourself from flying debris by covering your head with your arms, a coat or a blanket.