Tornado Safety At School
- Know the Tornado Safe Areas of your school. Communicate those to students (For example, MAIN SCHOOL BUILDING – INSIDE HALLWAYS – AT LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING).
- Avoid areas that are not protected by overhead floors and rooms that may have a wide span roof without supports in the middle, making it more likely to collapse if struck by a tornado. For example:
- The gymnasiums, arenas, auditoriums, libraries, portables.
- Outside walls, windows, glass doorways.
- Outside areas (for example, during physical activities, recess).
- Communicate the procedures for assisting students with disabilities (for example, wheelchair).
- Communicate the tornado protection position to students:
- Kneeling on the ground
- Forehead near floor
- Hands clasped behind head
- Tornado drills must be conducted as outlined by board/school procedures.
- When severe weather is reported and/or anticipated, activities in gyms (not protected by overhead floors and rooms) or outside should be cancelled/delayed.
