Large Venue and Higher Education Considerations
Gilbert Sebenste
Staff Meteorologist
Northern Illinois University
Why should I be “Storm Ready”?
• Damaging winds, either produced by microbursts or tornadoes, pose a significant risk to life and property.
• Most people in their lifetime will experience winds strong enough to do significant damage to their venues or schools.
• If you stay in northern Illinois your entire life…you’ll likely be affected by a tornado.
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Since 2004, we’re up to 42 on average!
NOAA
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Strong to violent tornadoes since 1950Multi County SKYWARN
But tornadoes are just one of many items of interest…
• There were no tornado fatalities in Illinois last year, but 11 injuries did occur.
• One fatality in 2008 was due to straight-line thunderstorm winds.
• There were 5 deaths directly related to flooding or flash flooding last year.
• Most of these are completely preventable with a multi-faceted safety plan.
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Disaster declarations due to flooding
June 1, 1965 through 2003
Red=4 or more declarations
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From A. Black and W. Ashley, 2008
Thunderstorm wind fatalities, 1977-2007
A. Black/W. Ashley, 2008
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In Summary…
• Northern Illinois and northwest Indiana are in an area that experiences frequent severe weather episodes which cause significant risk to life and property.
• As a result, schools, businesses and indoor and outdoor venues needs to have a comprehensive weather disaster safety plan.
• A plan has to be flexible to handle multiple severe weather parameters.
Step 1: the tools…getting the information to save your life
• NOAA All-Hazards Radio
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Step 1: the tools…getting the information to save your life
• NOAA All-Hazards Radio• AM/FM radio• Digital TV tuner (a USB tuner into your
desktop/laptop works great), cable TV?• Email alerts (available on
http://inws.wrh.noaa.gov), to your PDA, pager, desktop, laptop, etc
• NWS Romeoville Web site
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Step 1: the tools…getting the information to save your life
• Phone alerts from a private vendor• Reverse 911 (see if it is available)• Trained weather spotter(s) to look outside
and watch for incoming bad weather (but make sure they can get to a place of safety quickly!)
• Local “disaster” AM radio stations that serve individual communities
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Step 2: Plan for the disaster…Tornadoes/high winds
• Identify interior bathrooms on the lowest floor. Think about installing a “safe room”!
• Interior hallways and schools and venues on the lowest floor that do NOT have windows are next best.
• In many schools and venues, a break room void of any windows on the lowest floor is good during a tornado or severe straight-line winds.
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Step 2: Plan for the disaster…Tornadoes/high winds
• When a tornado watch is issued, your safety plan should begin…
• When a tornado warning is issued for your area, your school or venue is CLOSED!
• Initiate your plan of action upon receipt of the warning.
• If you are on the edge of a warning, or if in doubt, be safe rather than sorry!
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Step 2: Plan for the disaster…Tornadoes/high winds
• After the event, check for any damage and report to your insurance company…
• If your school, or venue were destroyed by a tornado today, do you have a business continuity plan to keep it going at a “backup” site? Plan for at least a year of being out of commission.
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Parson’s Manufacturing Plant,Roanoke, IL 7/13/2004
NOAA All-Hazards Radio + weather spotters + safe room = no injuries!
© Matt Dayhoff, Peoria Journal Register-Star
They all hid in there!
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Parson’s Manufacturing Plant,Roanoke, IL 7/13/2004
© Matt Dayhoff, Peoria Journal Register-StarMulti County SKYWARN
Step 2: Plan for the disaster…Flash flooding
• In schools and venues, flash flooding can cause problems just as severe as any tornado!
• Evaluate your flood threat beforehand. Are you insured?
• A flash flood/flood watch is issued before almost all widespread flooding events.
• Read bulletins closely for flood impacts.
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Step 2: Plan for the disaster…Flash flooding
• Be ready to evacuate quickly, and start as early as possible! Evacuations takes time.
• Can you move important valuables quickly to higher ground or on top of a high shelf if major flooding is possible or expected?
• Make sure all computer/system data is backed up *offsite*.
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Step 2: Plan for the disaster…Flash flooding
• Do you have a backup site that you can hold classes/do business from if your building is flooded or destroyed?
• Can you get sandbags if needed?• An aside: A broken water main
inside/outside the venue can do the same thing that 6” of rain in a short time period!
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Hell’s Kitchen Office!
Courtesy: New South Wales State Emergency ServiceMulti County SKYWARN
But what about this?
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Or this?
Courtesy NCAA
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Step 2: Plan for the disaster…“Typical” thunderstorms
• In outdoor venues, ANY thunderstorm is a threat to the well-being of those present!
• You should have adequate shelter for the venue available a few minutes away or less. Can be difficult for outdoor festivals.
• For grades K-12, the school is usually next to the venue. Make sure it is accessible in case of bad weather!
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Step 2: Plan for the disaster…
• For collegiate/very large outdoor venues, send people to their cars for non-severe thunderstorms, or in concourse areas NOT in direct lightning danger.
• For thunderstorms, someone needs to be watching the radar at all times, and you may have to beat any NWS warning!
• This also goes for county fairs and other outdoor large festivals!
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Step 3: Evaluate the plan…
• Is the plan reasonable?• Make sure everyone is “on board” and
knows exactly what to do!• Test it if you can: hold tornado drills, check
NOAA/AM/FM radio batteries/functionality • Post-event, evaluate again for
effectiveness and amend/change things as needed
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In Summary…
• Your school or venue is eventually going to get hit with dangerous weather, either tornadoes, high winds or floods.
• Having a plan of action before the disaster strikes will save lives, and your school or venue!
• Update and check the plan annually to make sure you’re always ready.
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In Summary…
That’s all I have. Questions?
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