Tornado Protection

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Definitions

  • Tornado Watch – Issued when weather conditions exist that could produce a tornado. A tornado watch may last for several hours.
  • Tornado Warning – Issued when a tornado has actually been sighted in the area or indicated by radar. At this time, the Civil Defense warning sirens are sounded, and the Nebraska Weather Service broadcasts the emergency messages.

General Safety Instructions:

  • Do NOT use elevators during a Tornado Warning
  • Seek shelter in the designated safe areas
  • Use blankets to protect you from flying glass or debris

Lincoln Location Information

Tornado Watch

When notified of a tornado “watch” effecting Lincoln, the PBX (switchboard) operator will announce over the public address system:

  • “Your Attention Please: Lincoln and Lancaster County have been placed in a tornado watch area until (standard time the watch is to be canceled). Patients and visitors are requested to follow instructions from hospital staff concerning storm protection activities. We will keep you informed of significant weather changes.”
  • This will be repeated at 4 hour intervals until the watch expires.
  • Review safe areas.
  • Consider how you will get there.
  • An “All Clear” will be announced when the watch expires or is canceled prior to its scheduled expiration time.

Tornado Warning

Tornado Warning – Bryan Medical Plaza, College of Health Sciences, School of Anesthesia, Child Development Center-East, Education area on West

  • Stay in the safe area until the city announces “all clear”.
  • Staff, visitors and patients; Go to safest area possible with the time you have.
    • Relatively safe areas include:
    • Interior areas
    • Away from outside walls
    • Areas with no windows
    • The lower in the building the better
    • Basement areas without windows are best 
  • Remain in the safe area until notified of an “All Clear”.

Hastings Location Information

Notification for severe Tornado Watches/Tornado Warnings will go out automatically to all hospital phones and computers as soon as the National Weather Service pushes them out. Switchboard operators will page these in the event the phone systems goes down.

Tornado Watch

When notified of a tornado “watch” effecting Hastings, the switchboard operator will page an announce over the public address system:

  • This will be repeated until the watch expires.
  • Review safe areas.
  • Consider how you will get there.
  • An “All Clear” will be announced when the watch expires or is canceled prior to its scheduled expiration time.

Tornado Warning – Mary Lanning Hospital

  • Evacuate to the ground floor and waiting room, doors shall be closed. If possible, find a blanket to cover yourself for protection.
    • You may be directed to Ground Floor safe areas (Cafeteria and Conference Room 1)
  • Stay in the safe area until the city announces “all clear”.
  • Staff, visitors and patients; Go to safest area possible with the time you have.
    • ​​​​​​​Relatively safe areas include:
      • ​​​​​​​Away from outside walls
      • Areas with no windows
      • ​​​​​​​The lower in the building the betters
      • Basement areas without windows are bests
    • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Remain in the safe area until notified of an “All Clear”.