Tornado Emergencies Procedures

In Reply Refer To:
1112 (950) P
November 7, 2013
EMS TRANSMISSION: 11/18/2013
Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2014-06
Expires: 9/30/2015
To: All State Office Employees
From: State Director
Subject: Tornado Emergencies Procedures
Program Area: Safety and Occupational Health
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) outlines the procedures that are to be followed in
case of a tornado emergency:
Policy/Action:
1. When a tornado warning is issued for Cheyenne, a National Weather Service (NOAA)
weather alert is broadcast on emergency weather radios and/or the Civil Defense siren will
sound. Emergency weather alert radios are located on all floors occupied by BLM in the
State Office (see attached floor maps). Tornado warnings from any one of these sources will
trigger emergency tornado procedures described in this document.
2. After receiving official notification of a tornado warning, a member of the Emergency Action
Team (EAT) (team consists of State Director, Associate State Director, Deputy State
Directors, Chief Warden, Business Manager, and evacuation wardens) will make the
following announcement on the public address system:
Attention everyone, attention everyone. A tornado warning is in effect. Everyone in the building
should proceed immediately to the designated tornado shelter on the first floor.
The announcement will be repeated.
The tornado shelter includes the interior hallway on the north half of the first floor and first two
parts of the main conference room.
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828
IN REPLY REFER TO:
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3. All employees and visitors will then proceed in a quick but orderly manner to the first floor
and assemble in the hallway that leads from the lobby to the main conference room, rooms
107B and 107C of the main conference room, and hallway west of the main conference room
towards the Information Resource Management (IRM) section. No one will be allowed to
assemble in Room 107A of the conference room because of the windows in the north section
of the room.
4. Employees are discouraged from using elevators for tornado evacuations and should use
stairwell exits to expedite the evacuation. Elevators are reserved for the mobility impaired
and their escorts. Supervisors must ensure mobility impaired employees have evacuation
assistance.
5. The evacuation wardens will make sure everyone in their area is aware of the emergency and
direct them to evacuate. They will check the interior rooms, rest rooms, etc, to ensure
everyone is evacuated. Wardens will note who evacuated from their respective areas and
provide a list to the individual in charge (State Safety Officer, Business Manager, or DSD,
Support Services).
6. During the tornado warning everyone will remain in the north section of the first floor
hallway and in Rooms 107B and C. Floor wardens will station themselves at the doors at
both ends of the hallway to assure those doors remain closed until notified by the EAT that
the tornado warning is rescinded or the tornado has passed.
7. Room 109 (the First Aid room) will be the command center during the emergency. The chief
warden and Emergency Action Team (EAT) will assemble in the command center. The
individual in charge will make an announcement to all as to when the tornado warning was
initiated and how long it is estimated to last based on NOAA announcements. It is
recommended an updated announcement be made every 5-10 minutes until the warning has
ended. There is an emergency bag located in Room 109, located in a cabinet in the front part
of the room.
8. The EAT should use NOAA weather reports as the official source to determine the end of the
tornado warning. Other sources of emergency information from the Internet and Civil
Defense alerts should also be considered, if available. After the EAT has determined the
tornado warning has expired or been rescinded, the individual in charge will announce the
tornado warning has ended and employees will be permitted to return to their duty stations.
9. In the event that the building or surrounding area has been damaged by a tornado, the
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) goes into effect and its procedures implemented.
Background: There have been 112 tornados in Laramie County and Cheyenne Wyoming from
1953 until present. Tornados represent a serious threat to daily BLM operations statewide. It is
imperative that a plan is in place in the event the State Office is in the path of a tornado to
preserve life and minimize damages to all BLM property.
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Timeframe: This policy is effective immediately.
Budget Impact: None.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None.
Coordination: DSD for Support Services, Chief Ranger, District Safety mangers, Collateral
Safety Duty Officers.
Contact: Any questions regarding this IM should be directed to David Scott, State Safety and
Health Manager, at 307-775-6269 or dwscott@blm.gov.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Donald A. Simpson Sherry Dixon
State Director Administrative Assistant
Distribution
Director (740), STE 300, 1120 20th St. NW 1 (w/o atch.)
CF 1 (w/atch.)
1 Attachment:
1 - Maps (3 pp)