Emergency preparedness tips for tornado safety on campus
Spring is here, and that means it’s time to prepare for spring storms, including tornados. Tornado season in Tennessee starts in March when changing temperature conditions that create tornados are most frequent.
In the event a storm is moving closer to VUMC, a severe weather warning system will be broadcast through VUAH, MCJCHV, VPH and OHO campuses, and emergency notifications will be sent notifying staff of the incoming weather. For all other VUMC locations including offsite clinics, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital, Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital, and Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital, please continue to use your standard tornado protocol.
Yellow alerts inform staff to prepare for potential inclement weather. Orange alerts tell staff to activate their emergency operation plan and keep staff on duty until released by the Incident Commander.
Knowing what to expect and how to safely react can help you stay calm and safe if a tornado approaches VUMC’s campus. The following are best safety practices to apply for a tornado at VUMC:
- Employees who are outside should seek shelter in the closest building and head to designated tornado shelter areas or an interior room.
- Medical staff within departments should assign a staff member to monitor Medical Center communications and weather reports.
- Staff and patients who can move should congregate in the most interior section of the floor away from exterior walls and windows, crouch down and cover their head with their hands.
- Patients who cannot be moved should be turned away from windows and covered with blankets to protect them.
- Wait for communication from the Emergency Operations Center that the situation is safe before returning to normal operations.
- Use stairs instead of elevators in case of power failure.
More information on severe weather events can be found at https://www.vumc.org/emergency and https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes.