Tornado
Basic Information
Sirens
- sirens will sound when a tornado is sighted or when ONU is mentioned as being in the path of an approaching tornado
- one of the campus sirens is on top of the library, which makes it actually somewhat difficult to hear from inside the building
National Weather Service Watches and Warnings*
- A Tornado Watch means that a tornado is possible. Watches are generally issued for large areas (e.g. multiple counties) for long periods of time (e.g. several hours or most of a day).
- A Tornado Warning means that a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. Warnings are generally issued for small areas (e.g. a few square miles) for shorter periods of time (less than an hour).
- You can see active watches and warnings on the NWS website at weather.gov
Location
- Ada is located in northwestern Hardin County. Check the map below to familiarize yourself with the area, including the names of roads and other towns, as Watches and Warnings usually mention towns and cities.
Procedure
- The sirens will sound. You may also get an alert on your phone.
- Instruct patrons to go to the basement using the northwest staircase--the staircase by the elevator.
- Make sure patrons go all the way into the basement main room--this is Room 003; the door is across from the elevator.
- If there are more people than will fit in the main room, use the basement hallway and stairwell.
- Have patrons crouch down and protect their necks and heads.
*Information from: https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww
map from: http://hardincountyoh.org/pdfs/area_maps.pdf