All students have had the experience of going to respective basements or hallways when severe weather strikes. However, for some, the question still remains of what specifics should be done during severe weather.
Ryan Martin, assistant director of Housing, said that when keeping safe, the choice to go to a shelter lies with the individual.
“Nothing replaces the value of personal common sense and self-preservation involved in making a personal choice to seek shelter when you hear the tornado siren go off. A tornado warning is not a mandatory evacuation as in a fire alarm. If a resident chooses to stay in their room or seek shelter it is ultimately up to them,” Martin said.
A resident assistant’s responsibility during a tornado is to supply additional information of the warning to students and provide assistance at the designated shelter sites.
“When there is a tornado warning, the hall staff will try and notify as many residents as possible by knocking on doors and [telling people] where to seek shelter. You have to remember that RAs are students just like you. They are not trained emergency personnel,” Martin said.
Martin said that the tornado warning that occurred on Homecoming weekend was no different. Despite the fact that, initially, the weather was not expected to be severe and there were no watch issues for the area, the majority of Housing staff and students alike responded as they should.
“The staff that I observed were doing exactly what they were supposed to do. I was really proud of the residents, for how they reacted during the surprise tornado warning,” Martin said.
What position should students take, however?
Students are advised to familiarize themselves with severe weather procedures and to find out where shelter locations in Housing are on campus through their RAs or following directions on evacuation signs on the back of every door. Residents of Browning, Cooper and Ellington are required to go to their respective basements. University Village I residents should seek shelter in the interior walled section of their apartments while University Village II students are asked to report to the first floor hallways and stay away from the lobbies and windows.
“Residents need to educate themselves and learn the appropriate shelter areas on campus. If we all work together, we can stay safe in the event that a tornado hits our campus,” Martin said.
Martin also suggests that students download free services on their smartphones that alerts them when severe weather strikes.
“There are several free services that will also send you weather warning texts and email services. I encourage everyone to sign up for those so they can have another avenue for being aware of what is going on,” Martin said.
Martin said that students should exercise caution with tornado weather.
“The one thing we would like to remind everyone is that tornados are extraordinarily unpredictable. If a warning has been issued for our campus, you should seek shelter immediately and never assume that nothing is going to happen,” Martin said.
