Cameron Students posing for a picture on Campus

Office of Public Safety

Tornado Safety

The Cameron Office of Public Safety is very concerned about the safety and well being of those associated with the university.

Tornadoes are a frequent occurrence in southwest Oklahoma and can happen at any time of year, although they typically occur in the spring and summer. We cannot overstate the importance of knowing how to respond correctly to a tornado warning.

To assist everyone in developing a tornado safety plan, you are being provided both general information on tornadoes and specific information on protective areas on Cameron's campus.

GENERAL INFORMATION

A tornado's path may vary from 100 yards to one mile in width. Its forward speed will average 25 to 40 miles per hour. The following instructions for different areas and situations should be studied:

If you are in the open :

  • Move at right angles to the tornado.
  • Attempt to reach shelter, such as a building with a basement.
  • If there is no time to escape or find shelter, lie flat in a ditch or depression, avoiding areas subject to rapid water accumulation or flooding in heavy rains.

If you are in class:

  • The instructor will advise you of the building's designated protective areas.

If you are attending a university function:

  • Participants will be advised of the building's designated protective areas.


TORNADO SIRENS

The cities of Lawton and Duncan maintain Civil Defense warning siren networks that are used to signal imminent danger from tornadoes. It is a familiar sound, as sirens are tested in Lawton and Duncan every Monday at noon when the weather is clear.

A steady siren for three to five minutes means IMMINENT DANGER. Take shelter immediately in a designated protective area. Once the siren sounds, it is too late to seek shelter in a remote location.

An "all clear" signal will not be given via the siren system. This and other forecast information can be obtained from broadcast media. An "all clear" signal will usually be given over local radio and TV stations after the danger has passed. KCCU-FM (89.3) and other area stations may also be used for weather advisories or updates.


PROTECTIVE AREAS

CU Physical Facilities has identified suitable protective areas within each university building. To protect persons using these spaces against airborne debris, all doors should be closed while in use.

Building:

Go to:

Academic Commons

South classrooms, restrooms, fraternity & sorority rooms 102, 103, 105 & 106.

Administration

Basement corridor & offices.

Aggie Gym

Lower dressing rooms on north and south sides away from windows.

Aggie Rec Center

Restrooms & dressing rooms.

Animal Science

Men's & women's bathrooms.

Art Building

Interior hallway, restrooms & storage/work rooms. Rooms 111, 112, 116, 119, 120 & 121.

Burch Hall

Basement offices, classrooms, storerooms & basement corridor.

Cameron Exchange

See below

McMahon Center

South Corridor - behind closed corridor's doors Women's Restroom, No. 106 Men's Restroom, No. 107

Suites A-B

1st Floor - East and West Corridors - behind closed corridor's doors

Suites C-D

1st Floor - East and West Corridors - behind closed corridor's doors

Suites E-F

1st Floor - North and South Corridors - behind closed corridor's doors

Carpentry Shop

Equipment storage rooms.

CETES

Women's Restroom, No. 114 Men's Restroom, No. 116

CETES Conference Center

Conference Room B and Emergency Operation Center.

Communication

Interior corridor, offices & Room 115.

Custodian/Mail Warehouse

Transportation storage/parts room.

CU-Duncan

Restrooms (Room numbers 119 & 122). Administrative Office (Room 117) with all overhead doors closed.

Cynthia S. Ross Hall

Interior offices and conference rooms without windows. Women's Restrooms, No. 108 & 115. Men's Restrooms, No. 109 & 114.

Farmhouse - Trailer

Low-lying area outside.

Engineering Shop/ Agriculture Classroom

Storage room & shop area.

Grounds Shop

Equipment & storage rooms.

Haggar Hall

Interior corridor, practice rooms & restrooms.

Howell Hall

First floor restrooms, reception area of Room 104 & Rooms 110 and 113.

Library

Lounge, vault, storage rooms, first floor restrooms & mechanical rooms

McMahon Centennial Complex

First floor northeast (loading dock) corridor, first floor restrooms 103 (women) and 104 (men).

Music

Restrooms, Rooms 139, 140 & 141, offices 111 & 113 and storage Rooms 118, 119 & 126.

Nance-Boyer Hall Center Section

Basement mechanical room & offices 1053, 1054, & 1062.

Nance-Boyer Hall North Section

First floor restrooms (not in lobby) & interior core offices.

Nance-Boyer Hall South Section

Second floor restrooms (not in lobby) & interior core offices 1078, 1078A & 1078K.

Physical Facilities

Carpenter shop equipment storage.

Plant Science

Men's and Women's restrooms

Sciences Complex

Interior corridor of west wing, first floor restrooms, offices 137, 138A, 138B, 139, 139C, 140 & 140B. Workroom 139A.

Shepler Center First Floor & Mezzanine

Basement. Go through kitchen to go to basement.

North Shepler-2nd -10th floors

Restrooms & lounge/conference rooms.

South Shepler-2nd-10th floors

Restrooms & lounge/conference rooms.

Theater

First floor restrooms basement & storage area.

Transportation

Parts storage room.


WEATHER TERMS

The National Weather Service, media and public safety agencies use standardized terminology when referring to severe weather conditions; terms most frequently used are listed and defined below:

Severe Thunderstorms Wind gusts of 50 knots (58 mph) or greater and/or hail three-quarters of an inch in diameter or larger

Damaging Winds Sustained or gusty surface winds of 60 mph or greater.

Tornado A violent local storm of short duration with very high-speed winds rotating about a vortex with a funnel extending from the base of the cloud to the ground.

Funnel Cloud A tornadic-type funnel extending downward from the clouds, but NOT touching the ground.

Tornado or Severe Thunderstorm WATCH Issued by the National Weather Service as a precautionary alert when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes or severe thunderstorms in the specific area.

Tornado or Severe Thunderstorm WARNING Issued when a tornado or severe thunderstorm has been sighted visually or detected by radar. The location and direction of movement, if known, are given and residents of the specific WARNING area should take immediate safety precautions.

Questions regarding Cameron University's Tornado Safety Information should be directed to the Office of Public Safety by email or at ext. 2237.

Cameron University wishes to acknowledge and thank the University of Oklahoma Police Department for information it made available in preparing this web page.