The National Weather Service will test their severe weather alert and sirens during a statewide tornado drill at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 6, as part of Missouri’s Severe Weather Awareness Week. The University Police Department recommend using this time to consider what you would do and where you would go in the case of an actual tornado warning.
During an actual tornado:
A tornado warning means that a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. The Rolla Police Department will activate the city’s outdoor sirens. When warning sirens sound:
- Seek shelter, preferably in a designated area. Move to an interior hallway, under a stairwell or a room with no windows.
- Stay away from outside walls, exterior doors and glass windows or partitions. Do not open windows.
- Take cover under heavy furniture. Cover your head.
- Check local radio and television stations concerning the tornado warning.
- There is no all-clear message sounded through the siren system. However, Missouri S&T does send out all-clear messages through its mass notification system.
Here are a few resources and tips:
Building coordinators program: An employee volunteer serves as a coordinator at each building on S&T’s campus to help ensure safety in the case of an emergency. The coordinator is the go-to person for the police to contact. He or she communicates urgent messages to the faculty, staff and students within the building. View a list of S&T’s building coordinators.
S&T emergency alerts: Sign up to get alerts from Missouri S&T’s mass notification system. Alerts are sent when there is a threat of physical harm, other emergencies (such as a fire, chemical spill or bomb threat) and during inclement weather conditions. Once the danger has passed, an “all clear” alert will be sent to notify the community that the campus is back to operating under normal, non-emergency conditions.
Rave guardian app: This free mobile app can turn your smartphone into a personal safety device. By downloading the application on your phone, you can invite friends and family to join your network as your “guardians” and request your guardians to virtually walk with you on or off campus.
Emergency guides: Missouri S&T’s emergency guides are located throughout campus. The red, spiral-bound, hardcover books include emergency phone numbers and information regarding various emergencies, such as a fire, tornado warning or medical emergency. To order emergency guides for your department or classroom, email police@mst.edu with your name, room number and the number of books requested.
National Weather Service: The National Weather Service provides weather forecasts, updates and alerts as well as tornado safety tips.