Tornado

Once shelter is determined necessary, a siren will be sounded on campus by the Bryan County Emergency Management Personnel. Everyone on campus has a responsibility during a tornado emergency.

A list of these responsibilities is outlined below:

• Faculty will inform their class of the shelter location and lead them there. Once safely in the shelter you should take roll of students.
• Staff and employees will be led by supervisors to shelter locations.
• Visitors, students with no scheduled class and employees not in assigned shelters will check into the nearest shelter location and report to the emergency operations manager. EOM’s will make note of the visitor, student or employee so that proper accountability can be maintained.

Tornado Watch—the conditions in the areas specified are capable of producing tornadoes.

Tornado Warning—a tornado is actually on the ground or funnel rotation has been indicated by radar.

After the emergency is over, University Police or other emergency personnel will give an all-clear signal. Based on the damage sustained, University operations will resume or be suspended as determined by the University President, the Vice Presidents and the Director of Police and Safety.

Storm Shelters/Safe Areas

If you can not get to Morrison Basement the listed areas may help you .

Before an emergency strikes, take time to identify your safest place at home, at work and at school. Many people have survived strong tornadoes in a closet or small interior room without windows. Usually the safest place will be on the lowest floor in center of building. No place is guaranteed to be 100% safe.

Emergency Management Sirens are tested the FIRST Wednesday of the month, weather permitting.

Activity Center

• Any interior rooms such as Cheer Room or Racquetball court.

Administration Building:

• If time permits, go to Morrison Building basement; if not seek shelter in the innermost part of building on first floor away from doors and windows.

Airport

• Innermost interior room such as the break room. Bathroom.

Big Five Daycare

• Evacuate to Morrison Building basement. If unable to evacuate find an interior closet or hallway with no windows.

Biological Sciences Building

• Lowest floor in any interior room away from outer doors and windows.

Choctaw/Chickasaw Dormitories:

• Evacuate to Morrison Building basement.
• If unable to evacuate, gather on interior first floor away from outside walls and windows. Basement area located at East side of Chickasaw is a good location also.

Computer Science Faculty Building (Old OSBDC)

• If time permits, evacuate to Morrison Building basement. If not, go to interior rooms or hallways, or bathrooms.

Computer Science and Technology Building:

• Classrooms on South side of building should go to the South Wall.

Computer Science Annex(Computer Lab):

• Evacuate to Safety Building (next door) or to the Art Building. (See Safety Building)

EOC/Talent Search

• Evacuate to Morrison Building basement. If unable to make to Morrison go to the nearest open building, find an interior hallway with no windows.

Equestrian Center

• Storm Cellar
• Classroom hallway and adjoining room, do not use classrooms

Fine Arts Building:

• Interior hallways, bathrooms or any interior room. If key is available the basement of the building is good location.

GEAR-UP Building:

• Hallways away from doors and windows.

Gymnasium

• Any room/hallway away from exterior doors and windows.
• If key is available the basement by the swimming pool west end door is good location.

Library

• Best location is in Learning Center area (inner classrooms). Can also use Basement & First Floor halls and stairwells. Avoid bookshelves if possible.

Massey Building (Downtown Ballroom)

• Any interior room on the lowest level away from outer doors and windows.

Math Building

• Evacuate to the Morrison Building Basement. If unable to evacuate find a closet, interior bathroom or other room with no windows or exterior doors.

Morrison Building — Designated Community Storm Shelter

• Can use hallways, bathrooms, and any classroom that does not contain windows, but do not gather in the hallway that runs East/West.
• Men and women restrooms basement area

New Student Union

• Basement of Cafeteria, or lower level bathrooms or hallways away from exterior doors or windows. DO NOT USE ATRIUM HALLWAY!
• Men and women Locker rooms Do not stand out in the game lobby

North Hall

• Basement is very good location
• First floor hallway away from windows and doors

Old Student Union/Hallie McKinney

• Lower level area away from exterior doors and windows. Hallways, interior bathrooms and closets. Basement is also another option.

Physical Plant

• Any interior room away from outer doors and windows.

Police Department

• Find an interior room without windows or exterior doors. Bathroom or hallways are also options

President’s Home

• Small-sized room in basement area.

Russell Building (John Massey School of Business):

• First Floor stairwell good location or first floor hallways away from windows or exterior doors, interior bathrooms or interior closet

Safety Building:

• Classroom OSH-225, interior bathrooms or hallways

Science Building:

• First floor hallways away from exterior doors and windows and interior bathrooms.
• If key is available the basement is also a good location

Shearer Hall & Suites:

• Evacuate to the basement of North Hall.
• If no time to evacuate, go to first floor interior hallways away from exterior doors and window or interior bathrooms.

Small Business Development

• Find an interior room without windows or exterior doors. Bathroom or hallways are also options.

University Center

• Go to the interior hallway stretching perpendicular from the Continuing Education office.

Visual Arts Building (old Industrial Technology Building)

• Center hallway away from exterior doors and windows or interior bathrooms.

Visual & Performing Arts Center (VPAC)

• Any interior room/hallway away from outer doors and windows.
• Stay away from large windows such as those in the Art Display Gallery

Welcome Center:

• Bathrooms or interior rooms away from exterior doors and windows.

Morrison Building Basement is the Designated Storm Shelter for

SOSU and the citizens of Durant, Oklahoma. DO NOT stand in the hallway running east to west go into the Behavioral Sciences hallway.

Buildings with basements are:

1. Morrison
2. Hallie McKinney (southwest end of the old Cafeteria) Locked
3. North Hall
4. Fine Arts — locked
5. Science — locked
6. Bloomer Sullivan Gymnasium — locked

Important Things to Remember

• Avoid areas in buildings with wide span and glass overhead, such as Gymnasiums and Atriums.
• Do not stand in front of any glass windows.
• Most storms travel from Southwest to Northeast direction.