Remember that boisterous December day a few months ago?
It produced 28 confirmed tornadoes in Nebraska and a full day of strong winds — up to 93 mph measured in Lincoln.
The tornadoes were close to UNMC campuses, and the December derecho caused an unprecedented closure during final exams.
May and June provide the greatest opportunities for tornadoes and other severe weather in Nebraska, so UNMC is preparing during this National Severe Weather Awareness Week.
On Wednesday, March 23, UNMC's Omaha campus will hold tornado drills at approximately 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Because of COVID-19 precautions, people are not required to actually shelter in the designated tornado shelters for the two drills. Instead, people across the UNMC community are asked to discuss with people in your classes, peers or others around you:
- The difference between a tornado or severe thunderstorm watches and warnings.
- A tornado or severe thunderstorm WATCH means that conditions will be conducive to threatening situations. Monitor sky and weather reports and know where to take shelter.
- A tornado or severe thunderstorm WARNING means that there is severe weather is imminent in your area. Take shelter.
- The designated tornado shelter to use if a tornado warning occurred at the time of the drill.
- Shelters are designated for each building and can be found on the building plans posted near elevators.
- Shelters are generally located on the ground floor in an interior room.
- The purpose of outdoor warning sirens.
- Outdoor warning sirens sound when there is something life-threatening occurring outdoors. If you hear them, take shelter indoors. The sirens may not be used only for tornadoes but can be used for high winds or other threats including civil/homeland security, chemical or biological threats.
- The sirens are designed to be heard outdoors only. Hearing them inside is a bonus, but you should rely on a NOAA All-Hazard Weather Radio or weather app indoors.
- To receive immediate notifications of emergency conditions on campus, sign up for UNMC alerts.
The National Weather Service offers information for Severe Weather Awareness Week in Nebraska and Iowa, which provides details about tornadoes, floods, lightning, recreational safety, climate outlooks, summaries of severe weather events across the state and information on weather service office coverages of both states.
In some areas, the shelter information is missing from evac signs near elevators and exits. Also, many employees may not know who their building coordinator is. Is there a way to post tornado shelter information on an intranet site? It also may be helpful to put rally areas on that intranet site in case of fire or other emergencies requiring evacuation of personnel from buildings.