A.6 Severe Weather Plan Creation Date: 05/22/2009 Revised Date: 06/10/2015 Emergency Response Plan Review Date: 7/3/2017 Page 1 of 10 BU ERP A.6 SEVERE WEATHER PLAN 1.0 Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this Severe Weather Response Plan is to minimize the impact on the University from a severe weather incident 2.0 ApplicaBility 2.1 This Severe Weather Plan applies to all students, faculty, staff and contractors of Boston University 3.0 Assumptions 3.1 Living in New England, we are susceptible to severe weather, usually in the form of blizzards and winter storms, Nor’easters, and hurricanes. It is not unusual to experience periods of extreme hot and cold temperatures. 3.2 In the case of all such possibilities, modern meteorology has allowed us to have advance warnings. 3.3 With such warnings, the University will be able to take such steps necessary to minimize the effect of a severe weather incident 3.4 The one severe weather incident that may occur without much warning is a tornado or microburst. While the region has experienced such events in the past, they are not rated as having a high probability in the city of Boston. 4.0 Definitions: 4.1 The following are National Weather Service criteria for issuing Watches/ Advisories and Warnings: 4.1.1 Watches: 50% confidence of meeting Warning criteria (generally within 36-48+ hours) 4.1.2 Advisories and Warnings; 80% confidence in the event of occurrence (generally within 24 – 36 hours) 1 A.6 Severe Weather Plan Creation Date: 05/22/2009 Revised Date: 06/10/2015 Emergency Response Plan Review Date: 7/3/2017 Page 2 of 10 4.2 Winter Storm WATCH – issued by the National Weather Service when there is a potential for heavy snow or significant ice accumulations, usually at least 24 to 36 hours in advance. The criteria for this watch can vary from place to place. 4.3 Winter Storm WARNING – issued by the National Weather Service when a winter storm is producing or is forecast to produce heavy snow or significant ice accumulations. The criteria for this warning can vary from place to place. 4.4 Blizzard WARNING – Issued for winter storms with sustained or frequent winds of 35 mph or higher with considerable falling and/or blowing snow that frequently reduces visibility to 1/4 of a mile or less. These conditions are expected to prevail for a minimum of 3 hours. 4.5 Severe Weather - a severe thunderstorm as having large hail, at least 3/4 inches (0.75 inches) in diameter, and/or damaging winds, at least 58 mph, or 50 knots. 4.6 Severe Thunderstorm WATCH - when conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms over a large area. You should go about your normal business, but pay close attention to the weather. 4.7 Severe Thunderstorm WARNING - when its state-of-the-art doppler radar indicates that a severe storm is imminent or occurring, or if a timely, reliable report of large hail (1” in diameter) or damaging winds has been received. You should seek immediate shelter until the storm has passed 4.8 MicroBurst - a sudden rush of cool air toward the ground that can impact with speeds greater than 70 mph and produce damage similar to that of a tornado. Viewing the damage from the air does not reveal evidence of a twisting motion or convergence toward a central track, like it would for a tornado 4.9 Hurricanes - A tropical system in which the maximum sustained surface wind is 64 knots (74 mph) or greater. This is the worst and strongest of all tropical systems. 4.10 Hurricane Watch - An announcement for specific areas that hurricane conditions pose a possible threat to coastal areas within 36 hours. In New England, due to 2 A.6 Severe Weather Plan Creation Date: 05/22/2009 Revised Date: 06/10/2015 Emergency Response Plan Review Date: 7/3/2017 Page 3 of 10 the rapid acceleration of most of our hurricanes, it is a necessity that you take action during the watch. 4.11 Hurricane Warning - A warning that hurricane conditions, including sustained winds of 74 mph or greater, associated with a hurricane are expected in a specified coastal area within 24 hours or less. Any preparedness measures must be rushed to completion once the warning is issued. High winds and coastal flooding will develop many hours before the eye of the storm actually comes ashore. 4.12 Tornado - a violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending to the thunderstorm base. It can be a few yards across to a mile wide 4.13 Heat Advisory – Heat Advisory is defined as when the daytime heat index falls between 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 104 degrees Fahrenheit for two or more hours. 4.14 Heat Wave - heat wave is defined as three or more days of temperatures equal to or greater than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 5.0 Notifications 5.1 Boston University’s Director of Emergency Management (DEM) will be notified in advance of any possible severe weather incident. This notification may come in the form of National Weather Alerts, NOAA Weather Radio Warnings, or alerts from Boston and Massachusetts Emergency Management Personnel. 5.2 The DEM will notify the appropriate members of the BU Incident Command Response Team of the possible severe weather incident and to take appropriate actions. 3 A.6 Severe Weather Plan Creation Date: 05/22/2009 Revised Date: 06/10/2015 Emergency Response Plan Review Date: 7/3/2017 Page 4 of 10 6.0 Roles and ResponsiBilities 6.1 DEM – monitor National Weather Service daily forecasts and alerts as well as NOAA weather radio for severe weather. Upon receipt of such alerts, notify appropriate NEIDL and BU staff and make recommendations for action. 6.2 Facilities Operations Staff – upon notification of severe weather, take appropriate actions to secure the University’s buildings and grounds. The Facilities Operations Director will ensure that proper staff coverage exists prior to severe weather occurring, whenever possible. 6.3 Research Safety – upon notification of severe weather, notify Principal Investigators to secure lab work and hazardous materials as described in the document “Laboratory Preparation to Natural Disasters”. 6.4 BU ASC Staff – upon notification of severe weather, take appropriate actions to secure the Animal Holding Spaces. The BU ASC Operations Director will ensure that proper staff coverage exists prior to severe weather occurring, whenever possible. 6.5 Control Center Technicians – The Control Center Technicians will monitor the NOAA Weather Radio for Weather Alerts and report all alerts to the DERP The Control technicians will monitor all BAS and report all problems to the Facilities Operations Director or Manager. 7.0 Procedures 7.1 Upon receipt of a severe weather alert, the Director of Emergency Management shall send an alert to the BU Incident Commanders and based upon their direction, develop an incident action plan. 7.2 Depending upon the time to impact, the incident action plan should address mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery issues. 7.3 The DEM will create an incident on WebEOC for incident management. 4 A.6 Severe Weather Plan Creation Date: 05/22/2009 Revised Date: 06/10/2015 Emergency Response Plan Review Date: 7/3/2017 Page 5 of 10 7.4 At the conclusion of the severe weather event, the DEM shall convene a meeting of BU ICRT, or their designees, for a final After Action Report Report on the severe weather event. 7.5 Upon the receipt of a report of weather related damage, the DEM or designee, the Facilities Control Desk personnel, Control Technicians and BUPD dispatchers shall notify the NWS Taunton via telephone (508.823.2228) of the specific damage in real time. This damage includes: 7.5.1 Trees/large limbs blown down 7.5.2 Power poles blown down 7.5.3 Any other wind damage (broken windows, roofs blown off, etc.) 7.5.4 Hail, even as small as a pea. Specify size. 7.5.5 Tornadoes or funnel clouds 7.5.6 Flooding (more than just the usual underpass) 8.0 Key References and Resources 8.1 BU Emergency Response Plan 8.2 ASC Emergency Response Plans 8.3 Residence Life SOP for Heat Advisory 8.4 Residence Life SOP for Heat Wave 8.5 NWS Warnings and Advisories for Southern New England (see attachment A) 9.0 ERP Revision History Version Section / Paragraph Changes Made Effective Changed Date V.1 N/A None, Original Version 5/22/2009 V.2 Throughout Reformatted 05/02/14 V.3 Sections 4.12 and Added definitions for Heat Advisory and 6/24/2014 4.13 Heat Wave 5 A.6 Severe Weather Plan Creation Date: 05/22/2009 Revised Date: 06/10/2015 Emergency Response Plan Review Date: 7/3/2017 Page 6 of 10 V.4 Sections 8.3 and 8.4 Referenced ORL SOPs for Heat Advisory and Heat Wave V.5 Throughout Changed Emergency response Planning 6/10/2015 to Emergency Management V.5 Section 6.3 Added wording that Research Safety 6/10/2015 should work with PIs to ensure labs and hazardous materials are secured as described in referenced document V.6 Section 4.1 Added Definitions on NWS Criteria 6/21/2016 V.6 Section 4.7 Changed diameter of hail to 1” 6/21/2016 V.6 Section 7.1 Added verbiage to have IAP developed 6/21/2016 based direction from Incident Commander. V.6 Section 7.5 Added section on reporting storm related 6/21/2016 damage to NWS Taunton.