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Severe Weather And Tornado Safety

  1. The area communities maintain a citywide civil defense warning sirens that will be sounded in the event of a tornado warning. If severe weather is imminent and you are outdoors, move indoors as quickly as possible.
  2. Consider obtaining a flashlight and weather radio for your department.
  3. Close hallway doors as you leave to shield the corridors from flying debris.
  4. Move to any of the designated shelters in each campus building (basements, stairwells, interior rooms).  Become familiar with the location of the shelter in your building before a storm occurs.
  5. When you are off campus or in buildings without designated shelters, move to a small room on the lower level, an interior hallway, or basement.
  6. Avoid upper floors, large glassed areas, auditoriums, and windows.
  7. Stay out of parking garages, auditoriums and exterior walkways.  Stay away from electrical appliances.
  8. Use the telephone for emergency calls only.
  9. Stay calm and alert.
  10. On campus call 343-7624 to report any damage. Off campus call 911.
  11. Tune into media broadcasts for updated weather information.

Lightning Safety

  1. All thunderstorms produce lightning that can strike as far as ten miles away from any rainfall. On average, 20% of strike victims die; 70% of survivors suffer serious long-term effects. Lightning kills more people than tornadoes do.
  2. Postpone activities promptly if you hear thunder and go to a safe shelter immediately. Get out of the water and don’t stand in puddles of water, even if you are wearing rubber boots.
  3. Sturdy buildings are the safest place to be. Avoid sheds, picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, and bleachers. If no sturdy building is nearby get in a hardtop vehicle with windows closed.  The steel frame of the vehicle provides some protection if you are not touching metal.
  4. If you can’t get to a shelter, avoid trees. Crouch in the open, keeping twice as far away from a tree as it is tall.
  5. Coaches and leaders should monitor the weather during any practice sessions or games.
  6. Avoid metal! Drop metal backpacks, stay away from clotheslines, fences, exposed sheds and electrically conductive elevated objects. Don’t hold on to metal items such golf clubs, fishing rods, tennis rackets or tools.
  7. Stay several yards away from other people. Don’t share a bleacher bench or huddle in a group.

What To Do If Someone Is Struck By Lightning:

  1. Call Med-Tech Ambulance (911), then RSU Police immediately. Get medical attention as quickly as possible.
  2. Give first aid. If the victim has stopped breathing, begin rescue breathing. If the heart has stopped beating, a trained person should give CPR. If the person has a pulse and is breathing, address any other injuries.
  3. People struck by lightning carry no electrical charge that can shock other people. You can attend to them without risk of shock.