The following message is distributed by Hospital Emergency Management.
UPDATE 4:28 p.m. March 31: The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for southwest Johnson County until 5:15 PM. Seek immediate shelter.
UPDATE 12:33 p.m. March, 31: A tornado watch has been issued for Johnson County until 8 p.m. tonight.
Please notify those in your area and refer to the Emergency Operations Plan (P.49) located on Policy Tech.
Resources are available for our faculty and staff
- Several local hotels offer reduced rates for UI Health Care faculty and staff during inclement weather. A list of these offerings is available on The Point.
- The Emergency Management website has several links to severe weather resources.
- Inclement Weather Staff Transportation Options
- For more detailed weather information please visit the National Weather Service.
- During a National Weather Service-issued Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Tornado Warning for Johnson County, CAMBUS will suspend service immediately. More information is available on the CAMBUS Severe Weather Policy page.
Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our employees, patients, and visitors. Living in the Midwest, the threat of a tornado is present throughout the warmer months. Review the following tips and resources so that you’re weather ready when severe weather happens.
Refer to the UI Health Care Emergency Operations Plan (P.49) for more information.
If you receive a notification or encounter severe wind-related weather conditions consider the following actions, which are recommended by the National Weather Service:
- Inside: Go to the basement or a safe room and assume a tornado safety position. If you don’t have either, proceed to the lowest innermost room away from windows. Do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.
- Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately.
- In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine.
- Stay weather-ready: Continue to monitor local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about watches and warnings.
Keep in mind:
- The outdoor warning (siren) system is designed to notify those who are outdoors of the emergency condition. When indoors, the best way to receive severe weather notifications is through a NOAA weather radio.
- Be mindful of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or of those who may not be aware of emergency notifications because they are sleeping, watching TV, or listening to music.
- If you know of others in the building, please inform them of emergency conditions as you make your way to safety. If you can do so safely, help those who may need assistance to a safe area.
Stay Weather Ready
Hawk Alert Settings and FAQs
Please take a moment to update your Hawk Alert preferences and make sure you are signed up to receive text messages, which are the quickest method.
Emergency Response Guide
View the Emergency Response Guide for more information on how to respond to various types of emergencies that could affect the university.
Additional Resources
Consider monitoring the National Weather Service and local media outlets for timely weather updates.
Emergency Website
Emergency information is posted to e.uiowa.edu following a Hawk Alert. Please refer to this page during active Hawk Alerts for the most updated information.