Tornado Preparedness Training for Floor Captains

Stoughton Tornado August 18, 2005

University Safety and Assurances(414) 229-6339

2013 Tornado Awareness Week

• April 15th-19th, 2013 is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin

UWM Campus drills will occur on Thursday, April 18Thursday, April 18thth at 2 PM at 2 PM

Off-Campus Drill times are:Off-Campus Drill times are:Continuing Education-Plankinton Bldg. - 4/19 @ 1:30pmContinuing Education-Plankinton Bldg. - 4/19 @ 1:30pmEast Lake Towers-TBD East Lake Towers-TBD Kenilworth Square East– 04/18 @ 2:00pmKenilworth Square East– 04/18 @ 2:00pmSchool of Freshwater Sciences – 4/18 @ 2:00pmSchool of Freshwater Sciences – 4/18 @ 2:00pmUSRB- 4/18 @ 2:00pmUSRB- 4/18 @ 2:00pmWUWM – TBDWUWM – TBDZilber School of Public Health - TBDZilber School of Public Health - TBD

Tornado Shelter Area Signs

• ““Tornado Shelter Tornado Shelter Area”Area” signs are posted in each campus building, typically located on the lowest level of the building

• In some buildings an interior classroom or stairwell may be an appropriate shelter area

“Shelter in Place” Locations

• Newly identified interior classrooms where occupants can “shelter in place” can be identified by a temporary sign posted on the wall outside of the room

Podium Instructions

“Podium Instruction” cards have been created for classrooms containing 50 or more students

These cards provide the instructor with emergency information on procedures in the event of a tornado or fire emergency

Tornado Shelter Areas

• Emergency Evacuation signs (posted in prominent locations) identify your shelter areas

• Extra temporary tornado signs are available

Shelter Area maps: http://www4.uwm.edu/uap/space/floor-plans.cfm

Announcement of Drill

• Buildings with a fire alarm panel or other public address systems will be notified via a verbal announcement over the PA System by the Building Chair (or someone appointed by the Building Chair)

Announcement of Drill

• Text of the standardized message to building occupants will be provided to Building Chair

• The Building Chair will announce the start of the drill and location of Shelter Areas

• University Police will also send out a SAFE alert to announce the drill.

Announcement of Drills and Warnings

– Alumni– AUP– Chapman– Hefter– Honors House– Mellencamp– Northwest Quad– Physics– Power Plant– USRB– Zelazo– WATER Institute

• Buildings with no PA systems will be notified by manual alarms (whistles) on each floor of the building

• These buildings are:

Building Chairs

• Building Chairs should know the Floor Captains for their building

• Do you have adequate coverage for all floors of your building?

• How will you communicate with your floor captains?

Link to Listing of Floor Captains:http://www4.uwm.edu/usa/safety/general/floorcaptains.cfm

Floor Captains

• Floor Captains are identified by green fluorescent vests

• For buildings with no PA systems, floor captains will also be issued whistles

• Please let us know if you need a vest and/or whistle

Role of Building Chairs & Floor Captains During Drill

• Building Chairs & Floor Captains “direct traffic”– Guide visitors, students and

others who may not be familiar with building to shelter area

– Monitor security of building• In the event you will not be

available to assist with the drill, we would appreciate your assistance in identifying a co-worker or colleague who could temporarily perform your floor captain duties

Role of Floor Captain During Drill

• Monitor corridors on assigned Floor to ensure personnel are moving to shelter

• Check restrooms on assigned floor to ensure they have been evacuated

• Concentrate on public areas• Office managers, classroom lecturers, and laboratory or

workshop heads should be responsible for advising occupants in their areas to evacuate

• Those floor captains assigned to shelter areas should assess designated shelter location (Did everyone fit? Could it be reached quickly?)

• Complete evaluation form and give to your building chair

Evacuation

• Once the drill is announced, occupants should proceed quickly and calmly (using interior stairways if necessary to reach a lower level) to a building tornado shelter area

High Rise Buildings

• Go to enclosed, windowless area in center of building -- away from glass

• Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly

• Stay off elevators; you could be trapped if power goes out

High Rise Buildings

• Bolton• Chemistry• Cunningham• Curtin• Enderis• EMS• Sandburg• Continuing Ed (Plankinton Building)

– SECONDS COUNT - Floors 4 and belowFloors 4 and below should go to basement; Floors 5 and aboveFloors 5 and above should seek shelter in interior spaces (restrooms, stairways, interior rooms and hallways).

Evacuation - Individuals with a Disability

• Supervisors should be responsible for assisting any student, staff member, or visitor who has a disability

• Recommendations are:– Mobility impaired-wheelchair: Elevator

to shelter– Mobility impaired, non-wheelchair:

Elevator to shelter – Hearing impaired: Inform of

announcement and shelter advice – Visually impaired: Offer elbow & assist

to shelter

Conclusion of Drill

• At the conclusion of the drill (once occupants have reached the designated shelter areas or after 10 minutes) in those buildings with a PA System, the Building Chair will make an “All Clear” announcement

• In those buildings with no PA System, floor captains will announce to occupants that they may return to their rooms

• University Police will send out a Text Message via the SAFE alert system to announce the conclusion of the drill (at about 2:10pm)

Evaluation and Debriefing

• Floor Captains will meet briefly with their building chair for a debriefing and to turn in their evaluation form

• Or send forms to University Safety and Assurances in Eng. 270