Each year tornadoes kill or injure hundreds of people. Thousands of homes and other buildings are destroyed by this weather phenomenon. A tornado is a severe storm. The winds of a tornado spiral around a wide funnel at speeds sometimes greater than 200 miles an hour. The peak tornado season in Ohio runs from April through June.

The Department of Residence Services, along with the entire university community, has developed notification and emergency procedures in the event of severe weather or tornadoes. Residents should familiarize themselves with the following information.

For up-to-date weather information, turn your radio to: Station WNIR - 100.1 FM or WKSU - 89.7 FM.

When a watch has been issued, conditions are right for a tornado to develop. Be prepared to take shelter, and keep informed on the latest storm conditions. In the residence halls, Tornado Watch Notices will be posted in conspicuous areas.

Tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted and confirmed in the area. Notification will be provided through the use of emergency warning sirens. (Note: These sirens are tested at 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month and at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month.) Take cover immediately. Be familiar with the list of safe places to take shelter in the event of a tornado. Residents should take shoes and blankets with them to the shelter areas.

• Students should always use the stairways rather than the elevators; in the event of a power failure, elevators could be stuck between floors.
• If there is a strong enough wind to break the glass in the stairwells, students should return to the closest corridor (inside walls, away from glass) and protect themselves from flying debris.