Tornado Procedures
Tornados and severe thunderstorms are often a threat in Middle Tennessee. Cumberland University makes every effort to provide information so all employees and students can be ready in the event of a tornado alert. Please review these guidelines regularly during the tornado season.
The city of and are prepared to warn the populace of impending adverse weather conditions. The city of has several strategically positioned sirens which will be sounded if atmospheric conditions indicate concern. The siren can be heard clearly outdoors on the ’s campus.
If you are outside and you hear the warning siren, seek inside shelter, preferable in a steel framed or concrete building or in a building that appears to be sturdily constructed. Once inside a building, stay away from all windows and move to the lowest floor. The safest area in each building has been marked with a tornado sign.
If you are inside a building, the safest area in each campus building has been marked with a yellow tornado sign. Additionally, each building has yellow tornado signs posted to guide people to the safest area. When moving to the safe area of a building, the following guidelines should be followed:
- Avoid going near auditoriums, gymnasiums, or other such large rooms where roof collapse may be likely.
- Stay away from glass windows and exterior doors at all times.
- Move to the designated tornado safety area in an orderly fashion and use east stairways if available, since tornadoes generally follow a west to east path.
- Doors to all rooms should be kept closed.
- If time does not permit moving to the designated tornado safety area, sit on the floor under furniture, or near an inside wall.
- If caught outside, seek shelter in a low lying area laying face down.
Tornado Watch Guidelines
A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form. While the university is under a tornado watch, all university employees and students should pay close attention to changing weather conditions and remain alert to further weather warnings.
- The Vice President of Administration or their designee will monitor the weatheralert radio on days when a tornado is deemed likely to occur.
- In the event that the Vice President of Administration learns of a tornado watch, he will activate the CU Alerts System. CU Alerts is a campus-wide emergency notification system which allows Cumberland University students, faculty and staff to receive emergency alerts via cell phone text messages. CU Alerts are issued only in the event of an actual emergency, and the system is not used for non-emergency communications.
- To sign up for CU Alerts, use your cell phone text messaging feature. Create a new message with the word CUALERTS and send it to 41411. The alert system will send a confirmation message back to you. Note: you only have to sign up for CU Alerts once; there is no need to sign up for this system each academic year.
Tornado Warning Guidelines
A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted either visually or by radar. The warning is issued for a particular area and immediate action is required. A tornado generally moves at 20 to 60 miles per hour forward speed so warning time is critical.
- A tornado warning alert is provided by sirens located in downtown Lebanon. This signal is presumed to be a tornado warning unless informed by an official to the contrary. Note: this signal is only audible outdoors.
- The Vice President of Administration or their designee will monitor the weather-alert radio on days when a tornado is deemed likely to occur.
- In the event that the Vice President of Administration learns of a tornado warning, he will activate the CU Alerts System.
- In the event that the Vice President of Administration learns of a tornado warning,he will also notify Building Runners to alert people in the building to move to the designated tornado shelter area within that building
- All persons should be encouraged to remain inside a safe area until the warning is canceled.
After a Tornado
In the event of casualties, give first aid to the best of your ability and notify authorities as soon as possible by calling 911. Be sure to give your name and exact location on campus.
Flood Procedures
The campus area is prone to occasional flooding on the east and west ends of the campus very infrequently, but especially during a massive rainfall. Flooding of these areas may result in the declaration of a flood emergency. Flood emergencies can result in the partial or full evacuation of residence halls or classrooms, including student and staff parking lots.
During potential flooding conditions, Campus Safety and Security staff monitors all reports of flooding through consultation with the WEMA and other local and state emergency response agencies. If conditions or reports warrant, a flood emergency will be declared and students, faculty, and staff will be directed to move vehicles and/or evacuate parts of the campus.
All efforts to communicate the evacuations in a timely manner will be made. However, in the event of sudden flooding, such as during a flash flood, notification may not allow for much, if any time, to move vehicles or personal belongings. When instructed to move a vehicle or evacuate a building or area, do so immediately.
The decision to implement evacuations will be based upon campus needs, with the overall goal to be the preservation of life, and then property. As with any campus emergency, the administration will do all it can to inform and update students, faculty, and staff. During emergencies, do your best to monitor all campus communications.
Interior Flooding
In the event of interior flooding from a broken water line, the following actions are recommended:
- Immediately contact Campus Safety and Security at 615-476-3061 to notify them of the situation. Inform them immediately if any oil, chemical or other potentially hazardous materials are suspected of contaminating the flood waters.
- A designated University or law enforcement officer will direct students to safe areas should an evacuation be necessary.
- University Maintenance staff will work to fix the problem and assist in all clean-up and salvage efforts.
- If possible, secure any vital equipment or records and other important papers.
- Shut off all electrical equipment ONLY IF YOU CAN DO SO WITHOUT STANDING IN WATER.
- Secure all laboratory equipment in the same manner.
Exterior Flooding
- All students, faculty, and staff should avoid entering “standing” water or pooled water for their safety and the safety of others. A designated University or law enforcement officer will secure areas of concern so that they are not entered inadvertently or purposely.
Bomb Threat
If you observe a suspicious object or potential bomb on campus, do not handle the object! Clear the area immediately. Then, notify Campus Security and the Vice President of Administration. If the Vice President of Administration is unavailable, notify the Executive Vice President or the Dean of Students at the earliest possible opportunity.
- All bomb threats are to be taken seriously.
- Any person receiving a phone call bomb threat should attempt to ask the caller:
- When is the bomb going to explode?
- Where is the bomb located?
- What kind of bomb is it?
- What does it look like?
- Why did you place the bomb?
- Keep talking to the caller as long as possible and record the following:
- Time of call.
- Age and sex of caller.
- Speech pattern, accent, possible nationality.
- Emotional state of the caller.
- Background noise.
- Emergency Response personnel will conduct a detailed bomb search. Employees are requested to make a quick inspection of their area for a suspicious object and to report the location to the Emergency Response personnel. Do not touch the object! Do not open drawers, cabinets, or turn lights on or off.
- If an emergency exists, activate the building alarm.
- Call Campus Security.
- When the building evacuation alarms are sounded or an emergency exists, walk quickly to the nearest marked exit and alert others to do the same.
- ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN EXITING THE BUILDING.
- Once outside, move to a clear area at least 500 feet away from the affected building. Keep streets, fire lanes, hydrants, and walkways clear for emergency vehicles and crews.
- Follow all instructions of emergency response teams.
- DO NOT RETURN TO AN EVACUATED BUILDING unless you are given the “all clear” signal by the appropriate university personnel. The signal that the staff and students can return to an evacuated building will be initiated by emergency response personnel. Once the Emergency Director receives the “all clear” signal, s/he will communicate this to the Building Runners, who will notify evacuated staff and students that they can return to the building.
Evacuation Assembly Areas for Bomb Threats
Memorial Hall ~ Quad Area – Lower Sector
Bone Hall ~ Quad Area – Lower Sector
Labry Hall ~ Quad Area – Lower Sector
Vise Library ~ Quad Area – Lower Sector
Dallas Floyd Recreation Center ~ Quad Area – Lower Sector
Fine Arts Center ~ Quad Area – Lower Sector
Mitchell Student Center ~ Quad Area by Mary White
Catron Alumni House ~ Quad Area at Flagpole
Art Academy ~ Quad Area at Flagpole
Justin Potter Hall ~ Grass Area at Library
Mary White Hall ~ Grass Area at Library
Edward Potter Hall ~ Grass Area at Library
Commons I ~ Quad Area at Flagpole
Commons II ~ Field beyond Wrestling building
Football Fieldhouse ~ Softball Field
Benton Jennings Batting Facility ~ Quad Area at Flagpole
Baseball Fieldhouse ~ Softball Field
Rudy House ~ Grass Area in Front of Library
Lawlor House ~ Quad Area at Flagpole
LSSD School House ~ Grass Area at Library
Maintenance Headquarters ~ Lower Quad Area at CU Sign
Softball Fieldhouse ~ Practice Football Field
Wrestling Building ~ Grass Area at Edward Potter
McFarland Hall ~ West parking lot