What to do During a Tornado Warning:
- The City of Wooster maintains tornado sirens, one of which is nearby campus. The City tests the siren on the first Monday of every month at noon for 15 seconds (unless the weather is bad). If you hear this siren anytime other than on the normal testing day, treat it as a tornado warning and seek shelter.
- At Your Campus Residence: During a tornado warning, go to your basement, safe room, or an interior room away from windows. If the first floor is the lowest accessible floor, go into an interior room, like a bathroom, and stay low to the ground. If your res hall doesn’t have a basement, a first-floor hallway that doesn’t have windows is your safest location. Try to put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Protect your head with something sturdy, like a book or your interlaced fingers.
- At Your Workplace or Classroom: Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. In College of Wooster buildings, proceed to the lowest floor possible. Go into an interior room or hallway away from windows. Stay low and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums. Stay away from glass. Protect your head with something sturdy, like a book or your interlaced fingers.
- Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately if a tornado is approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent. If you have time, get inside a safe building.
- In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest available sturdy shelter if the tornado is far enough away that you can do so safely. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, buckle your seatbelt and get down below window-level and cover your head. Another course of action is to abandon your vehicle and seek shelter in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine. Lay face down and cover your head with your interlaced fingers. Be aware of sudden flash flooding.
- Stay Weather-Ready: Listen to local news or a NOAA weather radio or follow weather apps to stay updated about tornado watches and warnings.
For more information regarding tornados and tornado safety, please visit the National Weather Service.