Severe Storms & Tornadoes - The University of Tulsa
Campus Security

Severe Storms & Tornadoes

Review the following information in case of severe storm or tornado:

  • When weather siren is heard or tornado warning is given by media (radio, TV), or you  receive a notification  through one of TU’s emergency notifications systems (text messaging, blast email, posting on TU’s website, digital signage, and/or posting on Facebook & Twitter), you should move to the building’s Severe Weather Area (listed below).
  • If a designated Severe Weather Area is not available, attempt to move to ground floor or basement away from windows, preferably a hallway or inside room away from rooms with large open areas such as gyms
  • If available take a battery operated radio, cell phones and flashlights into Severe Weather Area
  • Listen to local media for area of danger or call security at 918-631-5555 or someone who has access to a radio or TV coverage to determine more details about area of danger
  • Stay in Severe Weather Area until danger has passed or the tornado warning has been lifted as indicated by listening to local media, or you receive permission to leave the area
  • If damage has occurred to building that you are in and you are in immediate danger (structural, smell of gas) attempt to move to safer area, do not use cell phones or other electrical equipment including radios if you smell gas, otherwise call 911 or wait for emergency response to your area
  • If you are not in immediate danger it may be best to stay where you are, call 911 and follow instructions; if you do not have access to a phone, emergency services will come to area of damage in time (reasoning is that there may be danger in leaving, such as downed power lines or critical structural damage in exit areas of building)

SEVERE WEATHER AREAS:   In general most lower-level interior restrooms are adequate storm shelter areas – seek protection from glass mirrors; all areas refer to lowest level with doors closed.

  • Academic Buildings
    Name of BuildingLocation
    Allen Chapman Student Union1st floor rest rooms, kitchen and pantry, dishwashing room, mail room, 1st floor interior Sodexo offices, and if needed all lower stairwell areas
    Boesche Legal ClinicFaculty work room 1101, Interview room, rest rooms
    Case Athletic Complexsouth side of lower level – locker rooms
    Chapman Hallinterior stairwell, lecture hall, basement interior hall, rest rooms
    Collins Hallmain hallways lower level with the east and west doors closed and rest rooms
    Donald W. Reynolds Centerlowest level outer hallways and rooms
    Fisher Eastlower level suites and interior hall-room doors closed, away from lobby area
    Fulton & Susie Collins Fitness Centermen’s and women’s locker rooms first floor, equipment rooms
    H.A. Chapman StadiumH.A. Chapman Stadium: locker rooms or Donald Reynolds Center lowest level outer hallways and rooms
    Harwell HallInformation Services north to south hall, rest rooms
    Helmerich Hallstorage room 126, under stairs room 112A; archive storage room 111; School of Finance – HELM 118, 1st floor hallway between suite 118 and room 122; Takach Graduate Student Lounge – HELM 125; hallway outside 105 and 106
    Henneke BuildingBasement, inside rooms with no windows
    Hardesty Hall (Offices)1st floor rest rooms and 1st floor interior hallways
    Hurricane Health CenterExam Room 2
    College of LawMLIC lower level away from glass in rotunda area, overflow into library stacks
    Kendall Hallgreen room, other basement rooms and halls
    Keplinger Halllower level interior halls away from glass partitions (lab/hall doors shut), rest rooms
    Legal Information Centerlower level away from glass in rotunda area, overflow into library stacks
    Lorton Hallmain hallway lower level with the east and west doors closed, interior hallway in suite 102
    Lorton Performance Centerbasement lower level hallways and storage area
    Mabee Gymnasium/Athletics/Band & Orchestrainterior east hallway, music hallway and library
    Mary K. Chapman Centerbasement class rooms, rest rooms
    McClure Hallroom 105 and 106 with office doors closed, rest rooms
    McFarlin Librarybasement area between Reserve and Media Services in the 1926 section, corner stairwells and any interior rooms in lowest level of 1979 portion of building, restrooms
    Michael D. Case Tennis Centerlocker rooms, central core area lower level building area
    Oliphant Hallfirst floor east to west hall with doors on each end closed
    Phillips Halllower level interior hall, student lounge, interior rooms on lower level
    Physical Plantinterior offices in administrative area and rest rooms
    Rayzor Hallfirst floor interior hallways and rest rooms
    Sharp Chapelrest rooms, kitchen, pantry, south lower stairwell
    Stephenson Hallfirst floor interior hallways and rest rooms
    Westby Hallnortheast corner of lower level, south interior area with doors shut, kitchen, room 108,109, rest rooms
    Zink Hallbasement elevator lobby, offices without windows, rest rooms
  • Gilcrease Museum

    Interior hallway outside conservation laboratory; Interior hallway behind library; Storage area opposite education offices; Myers Galleries and Central Suite of museum galleries; and Gilcrease house basement, if no time to reach main museum building

  • Campus Housing
    Name of BuildingLocation
    Fraternity HousesGround floor hallway with room doors closed
    Sorority HousesGround floor hallway with room doors closed.
    5th Place HouseGround floor hallway with room doors closed.
    Fisher SouthGround floor hallway with room doors closed
    Fisher West SuitesGround floor hallway with room doors closed
    Hardesty HallBasement area
    John Mabee HallBasement, Club Mabee game room, basement hall away from glass windows
    Lafortune HouseGround floor hallway with room doors closed.
    Lottie Jane Mabee HallBasement kitchen, meeting room, basement interior hall away from windows
    Apartments1st floor residents stay in apartment move to an interior room
    All 2nd and 3rd floor residents proceed as directed
    University Square South ApartmentsMary K. Chapman away from windows
    University Square West ApartmentsCollins Fitness Center Locker Rooms
    Norman Village ApartmentsChapman Hall away from windows
    Lorton VillageMabee Gym away from windows
    Mayo VillageCase Tennis away from windows
    Brown VillageKeplinger Hall away from windows
    West Park Apartments/Office Space1st floor interior hallway just outside of the Commercial Office Space
  • North Campus
    Name of BuildingLocation
    Drill Buildinginterior rooms on lower level, lower level rest rooms
    Machine/TUFFP Shop, TUFFP/TUPDP Buildingmove to electronics shop, Model Lab Building or Drill Building
    Model Laboratory and associated roomsinterior offices and rooms without chemicals
    Special Projects Buildingmove to safer building if time permits, otherwise use restrooms
    Alpine HouseRest rooms, under stairs in nearest North Campus building
    Hydrate BuildingShelter areas listed in nearest North Campus building
  • Oxley College of Health Sciences (1215 S. Boulder Avenue)

    Basement-these are located directly south of the elevator

  • University School

    Designated severe weather shelter

  • Zarrow Center for Arts & Education

    interior hall-room doors closed, away from lobby area and rest rooms