Emergency Preparedness

TTUHSC has an established policy and procedure regarding the suspension of classes and closing of offices in inclement weather (ice, snow, flooding). If the facilities are closed due to inclement weather, announcements will be made via STAT!Alert, local television and radio stations, as well as on the TTUHSC Announcements page.

Inclement Weather / Campus Closings

TTUHSC operating policy 10.02 is an established policy and procedure regarding the suspension of classes and closing of offices for a short period of time. Inclement weather, electrical outages, malfunctions of the central heating and cooling plant, chemical or biological problems, fire, and explosions are some of the events that might require the suspension of classes and closing of offices. Learn More

Severe Weather

Severe weather in the form of thunderstorms, damaging hail, high winds, and tornadoes are a threat to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. TTUHSC maintains several warning and alert systems for use in the event major storms or other disasters threaten our community. Ideally, sufficient warning time will allow precautionary measures to be implemented. The unpredictability of weather conditions, however, does not always provide for adequate warning. TTUHSC operating policy 76.15 outlines the function and use of the TTUHSC's warning and alert system. Learn More

Tornado Warnings

The university STAT!Alert system includes automated warnings to provide advance notification of tornado threats to TTUHSC campus communities. This system includes automated information activated by an official Tornado Warning by the National Weather Service affecting a county that a TTUHSC campus resides in. For more information about TTUHSC’s warning and alert system, please view operating policy 76.15. LEARN MORE

Fire Alarm Activation during Severe Weather Events

Fire alarm activations occur due to actual smoke detection, and manually by means of someone pulling a manual fire alarm pull station in the event a smoke/fire event is discovered.

Unfortunately, sometimes the fire alarm is activated by dirt, dust, moisture, unintended manual pull station activation, and severe weather events, including tornadic storms.

Regardless, any time the fire alarm system is activated, take prompt, appropriate action by immediately leaving and/or evacuating the alarming area.

In the event of Severe Weather (extreme rain, wind, hail) proceed toward the exit area of the building (this may include the stairwell), however, only exit the building if immediately threatened by smoke and heat. Building occupants must assess each threat to determine which danger is the most threatening. If you work at the Lubbock Campus and are inside the five-story HSC building, you may exit horizontally into another Pod of the HSC building that is not in alarm activation. Horizontal evacuation should only be done during an alarm activation that occurs when a severe weather event is happening at the same time, and only if it is safe to do so.

During a potential life-threatening tornadic storm, a fire alarm activation is possible, fire-related or not. Taking cover during a tornadic storm is critical to your safety. Always practice situational awareness (know what’s happening around you), particularly during multiple life-threatening events.

It will be the responsibility of the President, Vice Presidents, and Deans to assure that by November 15 of each year the administrators in their organization notify in writing those persons designated as "essential." The Human Resources Office or the Regional Dean's Office at a regional campus will be informed of the personnel designated as essential. Learn More

• Active Shooter EAG
• Fire EAG
• Tornado EAG

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