During periods of severe thunderstorms with the possibility of tornadoes, Northwestern personnel closely monitor weather information and will notify students and employees to take shelter if needed.

The City of Alva will activate its tornado sirens if a tornado threatens the community. Northwestern will use social media (NWOSU Facebook and NWOSU Twitter) and the emergency text alert system to relay information. Update registration for the text alert system at https://nwosu.bbcportal.com.

During severe weather season, it's good to have more than one way to know what is going on with the weather. Stay tuned to the Oklahoma City television stations for information. Also, many of these stations broadcast live on Facebook during the storm season.

Oklahoma City News Stations providing weather information for our areas include:

https://www.news9.com/weather

https://kfor.com/weather/maps-and-radar/oklahoma-radar

https://www.koco.com/weather

The University has designated these Alva Campus areas as the safest places to use as areas of refuge, if necessary:

1. Vinson Hall Basement
2. Science Building classroom 110
3. Education Center Literacy Room 110
4. Jesse Dunn first floor bathrooms
5. Health and Sports Science Education Building classroom 110
6. All Residence Halls - first-floor interior hallway 

If you are unable to seek an area of refuge in a listed facility, then move indoors as quickly as possible and move to an interior hallway or small room at the lowest level of the structure away from windows. Avoid upper floors, large glassed areas, gymnasiums and auditoriums.

At the Enid Campus, students and employees should move to restrooms on the first floor or into the mail room adjacent to the north hallway.

At the Woodward Campus, students and employees should seek areas of refuge in rooms 141 or 119, or the kitchen and restroom near Dean's office.

Please take time to familiarize yourself with these locations and have an evacuation plan in place. Don't be scared, be prepared.