TORNADO  RESPONSE
 PLAN

 

 

BASIC   INSTRUCTIONS   IF   A   TORNADO
IS   IN   YOUR   AREA

 GO   TO   AN INTERIOR   HALLWAY
  OR   CLOSET   ON   LOWEST   FLOOR
AWAY   FROM   WINDOWS

 

 

 

MACON CAMPUS SHELTER AREAS

CAMPUS OFFICES & CLASSROOMS                           RESIDENCE HALLS        

            MED SCHOOL                                              LAW SCHOOL
    
 

 

 

ATLANTA CAMPUS SHELTER AREAS

ATLANTA CAMPUS OFFICES                       ATLANTA CAMPUS
               & CLASSROOMS                                   APARTMENT BUILDINGS

 

For Centers and areas not listed follow these general instructions

GO   TO   AN INTERIOR   HALLWAY
  OR   CLOSET   ON   LOWEST   FLOOR
AWAY   FROM   WINDOWS

 

 


TORNADO
 WATCH
 


TORNADO
 WARNING
 


Atmospheric conditions are favorable
for a tornado to possibly occur.
Issued for 4 to 8 hours
and covers a large portion of the state.


A tornado has been spotted in the area
and immediate action should be taken.
Move away from windows and outside
walls.  Duration is one hour unless
otherwise canceled.   Mercer Police
strongly advises you to seek shelter in the
event of a Tornado WARNING.

 

 

BASIC   INSTRUCTIONS   IF   A   TORNADO
IS   IN   YOUR   AREA

 GO   TO   AN INTERIOR   HALLWAY
  OR   CLOSET   ON   LOWEST   FLOOR
AWAY   FROM   WINDOWS

 

 

 

TORNADO SAFETY MEASURES

The text on tornado safety is taken from the
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website

Although there are suggestions on tornado safety, there
is no such thing as guaranteed safety inside a tornado.
Freak accidents happen;  and the most violent tornadoes can
destroy any house and its occupants.

 

 

Inside a building:
 

Flying debris is the greatest danger in tornadoes.

Avoid windows. If you make any effort to open windows, they should be only opened an inch or two and should be opened before a tornado warning. After a tornado warning, it is recommended that you do not go near the windows due to the possibility of flying glass or high winds.

Go to the basement, lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway or room with no windows. Go to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they tend to attract debris.

Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands.

Get under some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table or work bench), or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag.

 Know where very heavy objects rest on the floor above (pianos, refrigerators, waterbeds, etc.) and do not go under them. They may fall down through a weakened floor and crush you.


If you are in a vehicle:
 

If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Otherwise, park the car as quickly and safely as possible -- out of the traffic lanes. [It is safer to get the car out of mud later if necessary than to cause a crash.] Get out and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If in the open country, run to low ground away from any cars (which may roll over on you). Lie flat and face-down, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris.


In the open outdoors:
 

If possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can; they may be blown onto you in a tornado.

 

DO NOT:

Do not use elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost.

Do not stay in large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.

Do not stay around glass such as windows or skylights.

Do not stay in mobile homes, even if they are tied down.

 

BEFORE A TORNADO
 

Prevention and practice before the storm:   Turn on local TV, radio or NOAA Weather Radio and stay alert for warnings. Many weather alert radios have alarms that can wake you if you are asleep.  Forget about the old notion of opening windows to equalize pressure; the tornado will blast open the windows for you! If you shop frequently at certain stores, learn where there are bathrooms, storage rooms or other interior shelter areas away from windows, and the shortest ways to get there.

Know the signs of a tornado: Weather forecasting science is not perfect and some tornadoes do occur without a tornado warning. There is no substitute for staying alert to the sky. Besides an obviously visible tornado, here are some things to look and listen for:

  1. Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base.
  2. Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base -- tornadoes sometimes have no funnel!
  3. Hail or heavy rain followed by either dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes are wrapped in heavy precipitation and can't be seen.
  4. Day or night - Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn't fade in a few seconds like thunder.
  5. Night - Small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds). These mean power lines are being snapped by very strong wind, maybe a tornado.
  6. Night - Persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightning -- especially if it is on the ground or there is a blue-green-white power flash underneath.


AFTER A TORNADO
 

Wait for emergency personnel to arrive. Carefully render aid to those who are injured. Stay away from power lines and puddles with wires in them; they may still be carrying electricity! Watch your step to avoid broken glass, nails, and other sharp objects. Stay out of any heavily damaged houses or buildings; they could collapse at any time. Do not use matches or lighters, in case of leaking natural gas pipes or fuel tanks nearby. Remain calm and alert, and listen for information and instructions from emergency crews or local officials.


LINKS TO TORNADO INFORMATION:
 

The information above is presented primarily to cover situations in which Mercer community members may find themselves.  For more information on tornado safety at home and other places, please visit these links:

www.tornadoproject.com/safety/safety.htm
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/readytornado.html
 www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/safety/wtornado.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MACON CAMPUS SHELTER AREAS

CAMPUS OFFICES & CLASSROOMS                        RESIDENCE HALLS        

            MED SCHOOL                                                    LAW SCHOOL
    
 

 

ATLANTA CAMPUS SHELTER AREAS

ATLANTA CAMPUS OFFICES                       ATLANTA CAMPUS
               & CLASSROOMS                                   APARTMENT BUILDINGS

 

For Centers and areas not listed follow these general instructions

GO   TO   AN INTERIOR   HALLWAY
  OR   CLOSET   ON   LOWEST   FLOOR
AWAY   FROM   WINDOWS

 

 


    
 

 

ON CAMPUS OFFICES & CLASSROOMS

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING:
          Small hallway outside Room 109 on first floor

ENGINEERING BUILDING:
          Rooms 102, 103, 104, 108, 117, 118, 119

GROOVER HALL:
          Hallway perpendicular to Secretary's Desk

HARDMAN ART BUILDING:
          Chairman's Office (Room 102), hallway outside of Chairman's Office, hallway outside
          room 101, restroom

KNIGHT HALL:
          Ground floor hallway and stairwells on ground floor

LANGDALE:
          Ground floor hallways and stairwells and rooms 105 & 105A

TARVER LIBRARY:
          Ground floor away from windows (This is not the circulation desk floor)

MATH BUILDING:
          Ground/basement floor hallway, stairwell, and restrooms

NEWTON HALL:
          Ground floor hallway outside of the Speech and Drama Offices and all enclosed
          rooms with no outside walls or windows.

PATTERSON BUILDING:
          All inner offices of the first floor

PENFIELD GYM:
          Restrooms and ground floor hallways

PHYSICAL PLANT BUILDING:
          Any office or conference areas that do not have outside walls or windows.

ROBERTS HALL:
          Ground level hallways

STETSON BUILDING:
          First floor stairwells, areas with no windows or outside walls.

RYALS:
          Ground floor hallways between the fire doors, Bursar inner offices

STUDENT CENTER:
          Cafeteria, under tables, bathrooms, interior rooms on ground floor

TELECOMMUNICATIONS:
          Ground floor hallways away from windows

WARE HALL:
          Ground floor hallway outside of men's restroom

WIGGS HALL:
          Men's restroom, basement stairs, basement floor hallways, Sociology Lab in the basement

WILLET SCIENCE CENTER:
          Ground floor hallways with the exception of front lobby, first floor stairwells,
          ground floor restrooms

WILLINGHAM CHAPEL:
          Men's and women's restrooms

RESIDENCE HALLS

FOR   ALL   RESIDENCE   HALLS   AND   APARTMENT BUILDINGS,  
GO   TO LOWEST FLOOR. 
AVOID   WINDOWS
SEEK   AN   INTERIOR   ROOM
WITH   NO OUTSIDE WALLS.
         

MEDICAL SCHOOL

ADMINISTRATION:
          Charles Jones Board Room , kitchen area and copy room , inside lobby area between classrooms and auditorium, all classrooms on ground floor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), Men and Women's restrooms on first floor

MERCER HEALTH SYSTEMS:
          Interior rooms with no windows and no outside walls

LAW SCHOOL

LAW SCHOOL BUILDING, CARRIAGE HOUSE, WOODRUFF HOUSE:
          Law School basement

 

OTHER   OFF   CAMPUS   BUILDINGS:


       400 POPLAR STREET
          Basement area and all enclosed rooms without outside walls 

       655 PINE STREET
          Interior hallway or lowest floor away from windows

       707 PINE STREET
          Interior hallway or lowest floor away from windows

       640 PLUM STREET
          Interior hallway or lowest floor away from windows

       UPWARD BOUND HOUSE
          Hallway on 1st floor and 1st floor Copy Room

 

OTHERS COMING SOON

 

 

 

 

ATLANTA CAMPUS SHELTER AREAS

We urge you to follow the guidelines offered above.  The following areas are areas that meet the guidelines above.  Please keep in mind, there is never a guarantee of complete safety in an emergency such as a tornado.

ATLANTA CAMPUS OFFICES                       ATLANTA CAMPUS
               & CLASSROOMS                                   APARTMENT BUILDINGS

 

 

Apartment  Buildings
         
          FOR   ALL   RESIDENCE   HALLS   AND   APARTMENT BUILDINGS,  
GO   TO LOWEST FLOOR. 
AVOID   WINDOWS
SEEK   AN   INTERIOR   ROOM
WITH   NO OUTSIDE WALLS.
       

   

CLASSROOMS & OFFICES

Business/Education Academic Building
            Ground floor (lowest level) hallway between 003 and 018 and restrooms

Conference Center
            Ground floor restrooms (front and back) and back hallway near rear door to the kitchen

D Building (Cafeteria)
            Main floor restrooms and hallway outside women’s restroom (Not on TDR side)
            Copy Center/Mailroom- restroom
            Police Department- break room, restroom and kitchen
            Bookstore – Stock room and restrooms
            Auxiliary Service- restrooms and bookstore stock room

Day Hall
            Auditorium

Davis Building
            Mechanical room #003 from the vending area

Duvall Building
            First floor hallway outside rooms 121/A and hallway between rooms 159 and 131

Nursing Building
            Room 137 and restrooms on ground floor

Pharmacy Class Room Building
            Ground floor inner hallway #173 (between 172 and 175) also rooms 178, 181 and 183

Physical Plant
            Plan/Drawing Room G 112

Sheffield Center
            Men and women locker rooms

Swilley Library
            Room 144A – Audio Tape Duplication
            Hallway facing vending machine, prayer room 136
            Library – lower level back hallway near room 129 by the emergency exit
 

Theology Building
             Ground floor rear hallway near rooms 125 and 131 also the restrooms

 

 

 

CENTERS COMING SOON

 

 

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