SEVERE WEATHER

TORNADO

Hope College has developed a campus wide Emergency Action Phone Tree which is activated by Campus Safety whenever a tornado watch or warning is issued. When you become aware of a weather warning you should do the following:

In the event of a TORNADO WATCH (weather conditions which may develop into a tornado.)

1. Have someone in your building or department listen and monitor local radio or television for updates in the weather conditions.
   
   
2. Refresh your memory on where the emergency shelters are located and be prepared to move to them on short notice.

In the event of a TORNADO WARNING (actual sighting of a tornado by spotters or Doppler radar in the Ottawa County area.)

1. You should IMMEDIATELY seek shelter in the nearest designated shelter area. Click here for shelter area maps.
   
   
2. Continue to monitor e-mail, local radio, and television for indications from the National Weather Service that the Tornado Warning is lifted. Do not clear your shelter area until officially given the all-clear for Ottawa County by the National Weather Services via local television or radio. Hope College will not issue an all-clear unless it is based on official information from the National Weather Service.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM – HIGH WINDS

Severe Thunderstorm and Wind advisories are frequently issued for the West Michigan area. If a high wind advisory (sustained winds of 50 mph or more) is issued by the National Weather Service the Phone Tree will be activated. Severe Thunderstorm advisories frequently are issued and unless imminent to the Holland area and their status issued as a warning the phone tree will not be initiated.

Prepare ahead of time for an emergency! Know in advance where to go and how to get there. If your building does not have designated shelter areas go to the lowest level. Interior rooms without windows such as bathrooms or closets serve as good shelter areas. Stay away from windows or open spaces especially near the SW corners of the building.

The shelter areas are designated by color coded signs which are blue and red.

	The blue signs indicate direction of the shelter areas.
	The red signs indicate the actual shelter area.

SHELTER AREA MAPS 

Last updated: 12/16/2011 - kam