DPS Procedures for Severe Weather
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Raleigh issues tornado warnings for geographic areas in the probable path of a tornado. NWS will issue a warning at the presence of radar-indicated cloud rotation. Since radar-indicated cloud rotation is more prevalent than an actual tornado, we should expect tornado warnings to be more frequent than in the past. Due to this, Safety and Security will determine which schools should seek shelter based off the NWS Tornado Warning. An emergency message will then be broadcast over the Emergency Radio stating which schools should go into their designated storm shelter locations. Safety and Security will also announce over the Emergency Radio when a Tornado Watch, Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Flash Flood Warning/Emergency is issued. To learn more about how the NWS issues Tornado Alerts visit https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww .
Tornado Watch – When the NWS Raleigh issues a Tornado Watch for Durham County, the school and district will do the following:
• Continue normal school day schedule.
• Move recess, PE classes, outdoor lunches, etc. to inside the building. All outdoor mobile classroom/office trailers should be brought inside. Principals should move these students/staff to another location within the school/building.
• If your students are arriving/dismissing. All students should be brought inside if they are on a bus, in the car-rider line, or any other circumstances. Once the Tornado Watch has expired, they then can be released. Principals should be ensuring communication is made with parents/families regarding the change is dismissal.
• Principals should monitor official National Weather Service bulletins and local radar. Consider the impact of storm fronts and squall lines.
• Cancel or postpone after-school activities and athletic events if the watch is issued prior to the start of these activities.
• Safety and Security will announce “Tornado Watch” has expired the Emergency Radio.
Tornado Warning – When NWS Raleigh issues a Tornado Warning for any schools/central offices located within the warning geographical region of the Durham Public School District, the school and District will do the following:
• Safety/Security will state which schools should seek shelter based on the NWS Tornado Warning area over the Emergency Radio.
• Announce the Tornado Warning over the PA and Admin Radio. Say “A Tornado Warning has been issued for our area. Please go to your designated storm shelter location. Please “Drop. Cover. Hold”
• Do not use elevators during a Tornado Warning as the power may go out. • Move students/staff to designated storm shelter areas. Students/staff should go to the closet storm shelter location.
• Continuously monitor weather bulletins and local radar. Suspend all routine operations until the warning has expired (this may include delay of the starting and ending of the school day).
• Principals should take their CIT Kit and Emergency Radio to your designated Storm Shelter Location.
• If your students are arriving/dismissing. All students should be brought inside if they are on a bus, in the car-rider line, or any other circumstances. Once the Tornado Warning has expired, they then can be released. Principals should be ensuring communication is made with parents. Please also move bus drivers to inside the building.
• Once the Tornado Warning expires and an all clear is given from Safety and Security via Emergency Radio, say over the PA/Admin Radio “The Tornado Warning is no longer in effect, please resume normal operations”.
**We urge parents to refrain from coming to school to pick up their child during a tornado warning. The process of checking a child out of school diverts the attention of staff when their presence is needed to perform other important tasks during a warning. Parents shall be encouraged to take shelter. It is at the principal’s discretion to allow parents to seek shelter inside the school. If the principal allows parents/guardians in, please move them to an area away from students if possible**
Tornado Drill Procedures
Before the Drill
• Make sure that your students and staff are aware that you are having a tornado drill, that they understand what will take place during the drill and that they know the safest places to be during atornado.
o Ensure classroom/office staff that are in mobile classrooms/offices understand what to do during a Tornado Watch and Warning. ○ Encourage your students and staff to visit https://www.readync.org/stay-informed/natural-hazards/tornadoes to get information about tornado preparedness.
• Make sure your weather radio is on. [The statewide tornado drill is conducted on the second Wednesday of March. NOAA weather radios are already activated for the drill.] If you weather radio is not functioning, contact safetyandsecurity@dpsnc.net
Tornado drills are required to be completed by September 30th, 2023, and during the State Wide Tornado Drill which is March 8th, 2023. Safety and Security will provide additional information in Leadership Weekly.
During the Drill
• Announce the start of the drill by using a public address system or by bullhorn, if your school/site does not have a PA system.
• Mobile classrooms/offices should evacuate during the drill to the school and seek shelter in the nearest storm shelter location.
• Students and staff should act as though a tornado warning has been issued for the immediate area and/or a tornado has been sighted near the building.
• They should evacuate as quickly as possible to the nearest designated storm shelter. Be sure to use stairs to reach the lowest level of a building.
After the Drill
• Conduct a debriefing with staff during the next staff meeting. Ensure staff report any concerns they found
• Complete the Tornado Drill Evaluation Form.
• Document any necessary changes in the evacuation procedure.
• Send evaluation form to safetyandsecurity@dpsnc.net.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch- When NWS Raleigh issues a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Durham County, the school and district will do the following:
• Continue normal school day schedule.
• Move recess, PE classes, outdoor lunches, etc. to inside the building. All outdoor mobile classroom trailers should not be used, classes should be brought inside the school. • Ensure that a staff member in each building monitors official National Weather Service bulletins and local radar. Consider the impact of storm fronts and squall lines on the transportation of students; dismissal times may be altered to avoid transporting students during a thunderstorm.
• Cancel or postpone after-school activities and athletic events if the watch is issued prior to the start of these activities.
• Safety and Security will announce “Severe Thunderstorm Watch” over the Emergency Radio.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning- When NWS Raleigh issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for any schools/central offices located within the warning geographical region of the Durham Public School District, the School and District will do the following:
• Ensure all students are inside and normal school operations may continue. The principal should monitor weather conditions.
• Cancel or postpone after-school activities and athletic events if the warning is issued prior to the start of these activities.
• Ensure that a staff member in each building monitors official National Weather Service bulletins and local radar. Consider the impact of storm fronts and squall lines on the transportation of students; dismissal times may be altered to avoid transporting students during a thunderstorm.
• If your students are arriving/dismissing. All students should be brought inside if they are on a bus, in the car-rider line, or any other circumstances. Once the Severe Thunderstorm Warning has expired, they then can be released. Principals should be ensuring communication is made with parents. Please also move bus drivers to inside the building
• Be prepared to move students/staff to storm shelters if a Tornado Warning is issued.
We urge parents to refrain from coming to school to pick up their child during a severe thunderstorm warning. The process of checking a child out of school diverts the attention of staff when their presence is needed to perform other important tasks during a warning. Parents shall be encouraged to take shelter. It is at the principal’s discretion to allow parents to seek shelter inside the school. If the principal allows parents/guardians in, please move them to an area away from students if possible
Flash Flood Warning/Emergency- When NWS Raleigh issue a Flash Flood Warning or Emergency for any schools/central offices located within the warning geographical region of the Durham Public School District, the School and District will do the following:
• Ensure all students are inside and normal school operations may continue. The principal and school staff should monitor exterior conditions to ensure flooding is not occurring near the school. Move recess, PE classes, outdoor lunches, etc. to inside the building.
• If there is flooding near your building/school, call Safety and Security/Building Services to report the situation. Ensure students are taken to an area away from the flooding, especially is water begins to come into the school.
• Cancel or postpone after-school activities and athletic events if the warning is issued prior to the start of these activities.
Additional Information for Severe Weather
• All principals and assistant principals are encouraged to sign up for AlertDurham. Visit https://alertdurham.com/.
• Ensure your NOAA Weather Radio is properly working and is the alert button on the side of the radio is turned on. If you have any questions or need assistance with your weather radio, please contact safetyandsecurity@dpsnc.net.
• All school staff and teachers should know where the closet storm shelter is located and be sent this procedure.
• All schools and central services buildings should have identified storm shelter locations adequate to fit all staff/students.
• Storm Shelter posters should be posted above/near the shelter to show it is a designated location. Please contact safetyandsecurity@dpsnc.net if you need posters or need assistance identifying storm shelter locations.
• Your CERT is encouraged to assist with operations during severe weather events such as helping move students to storm shelter locations, assisting with monitoring weather conditions, or providing direct support to students/staff.
