Safety First

Statewide Tornado Drill – March 5th at 10:00 a.m.

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On Tuesday, March 5, 2019, Missouri will hold its annual statewide tornado drill at 10:00 a.m. Missouri State participates in this annual drill. It provides a good test and review of our tornado procedures. During this drill, all faculty, staff and students are asked to react in accordance with the University’s Emergency Action Plan Severe Weather and Tornado Procedures. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these procedures before the drill. For a complete list of shelter locations, go to the Building Evacuation and Shelter Locations Reference Chart.

Tornado Facts

  • Wind speeds can reach in excess of 300 mph.
  • Paths of destruction can be more than a mile wide and 50 miles long.
  • Tornadoes can occur at any time of day, but most frequently occur between 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
  • Tornadoes in Missouri peak March through June, but can occur at any time of year.
  • Missouri has averaged 46.7 tornadoes per year.
  • Missouri is in the top 10 states that experience tornadoes.
  • The U.S. averages 71 deaths per year from tornadoes.

Be Smart. Stay Safe.

Aggravated Assault – Missouri State Alert

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On Tuesday, January 22, just before 5:00 p.m. two individuals were breaking into a vehicle in Bear Park South. Our dispatch center sent out a Missouri State Alert to make the campus aware of the incident. The notification allows the campus to use appropriate safety precautions. However, during the process of getting the message out, we used the abbreviation for Bear Park South (BPS). Unfortunately, this created confusion. We recognize this was problematic and will make sure we do not do that in the future.

The incident does provide an opportunity to make sure our personal settings are correct. Each individual controls their means of contact within Missouri State Alert. The system is set up so each individual automatically receives the email. If they have provided a phone number, they decide which number(s) will received the voice communication. If they indicate they want to receive it by text, they can include the phone number to receive it as well. They can update their preferences on our website. I encourage everyone to take two minutes to make sure they are receiving the notification the way they prefer.

For me, I receive it via email, voice on my cell and office phone, and via text to my cell phone. This ensures I get it wherever I am at during an emergency.

Cops on Campus Event

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The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice will be sponsoring its annual Cops of Campus event on Wednesday, September 19th. The event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Bearfest Village area. The Springfield Police Department will have vehicles for show and personnel available to answer questions.

The Springfield Police Department has a substation on our campus. They provide our law enforcement services and interact regularly with our students, faculty and staff. We encourage you to take a few minutes to meet our police officers!

 

September 20th test of multiple emergency alerting systems to occur

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On September 20, 2018, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be conducting a nationwide test of multiple emergency alerting systems. The test will begin at 2:20 p.m. central time. Radio, TV, cell carriers and other communications systems will test their emergency alerting systems used to notify the public during a major emergency. For more information on this test, go to FEMA’s website.

Missouri State University uses the Missouri State Alert system for the notification of incidents impacting the campus. Due to the regular testing of the system, it will NOT be included in this test. However, the national test is a good reminder to review your preferences for your Missouri State Alert system. To view/modify your preferences, go to the Office of Safety and Transportation’s website.

For additional information, contact the Office of Safety and Transportation.

Missouri State Alert Test

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The fall test of the Missouri State Alert system will occur on Tuesday, September 4th at 10:50 a.m. The test will provide an email to all members of the campus community. It will also send a text and voice message to those that have provided this information. If you do not receive this test via the methods you desire, please go to the Missouri State Alert website to manage your preferences or to learn more about this vital communications tool.