1. Special Edition: Severe Weather
“The official electronic newsgram of Norfolk Naval Shipyard” July 14, 2011
NNSY NOTIFICATION
• Management notified by
email or National Weather
Service broadcast.
• Information distributed by
supervisors to all person-
nel.
• Direct notification by radio
or other communication
device.
• NOTE: The preferred
method of communicating
Tornado Watch
with supervision and me-
chanics is by face to face
communications or by use
T he National Weather Service will issue a Tornado Watch when
conditions threaten to develop into a tornado in and close to
the watch area. The size of the watch area can vary depending on
of runners.
the weather situation. Watches are usually issued for a duration
REQUIRED ACTIONS
of four to eight hours. They normally are issued well in advance of • Think about your current
the actual occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people work location and identify
should review tornado safety rules and be prepared to move to a the closest secure building
place of safety if threatening weather approaches. or shipboard location to go
A Tornado Warning is issued when a tornado is indicated by the to if notified to take shelter.
WSR-88D radar or sighted by spotters; therefore, people in • Minimize the amount of
the affected area should seek safe shelter immediately. They can loose material and tool-
be issued without a Tornado Watch being already in effect. They ing lying about, that could
are usually issued for a duration of around 30 minutes. d become projectiles in the
event of high winds.
Remember--WARNINGS indicate imminent danger to life and property. For questions • Understand your work
related to severe weather alert signals or associated required actions, please contact
Mr. Denis Garrett, @ 396–5907, cell 636-4680. process and what will be
involved to secure work if
{Page 1} Watch becomes Warning.

2. NNSY Notification Severe Thunderstorm
Wa r n i n g
• Emergency Sheltering Alarm
{see page three}
• Selected NNSY manage-
ment notified by email or
National Weather Service
broadcast.
• Information distributed as
appropriate.
• Direct notification by radio or
other communication device.
• NOTE: The preferred meth-
od of communicating with
supervision and mechanics
is by face to face communi-
cations or by use of runners.
W hen intense storm conditions begin developing the National
Weather Service will call for a Severe Thunderstorm Watch.
A severe thunderstorm by definition is a thunderstorm that produces
REQUIRED ACTIONS 3/4 inch hail or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or in excess of
58 miles an hour. The size of the watch can vary depending on the
• Increased awareness of
weather situation. They are usually issued for a duration of four to
threat. eight hours. They are normally issued well in advance of the actual
• Prepare to secure your work- occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people should re-
site in a safe manner should view severe thunderstorm safety rules and be prepared to move to a
place of safety if threatening weather approaches.
the storm develop at NNSY.
• Take shelter should the
weather conditions deterio-
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued when either a severe
thunderstorm is indicated by the Weather Surveillance Ra-
dar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) or a spotter reports a thunderstorm
rate rapidly, or you are told producing hail 3/4 inch or larger in diameter and/or winds equal to or
to do so by your supervisor. in excess of 58 miles an hour; therefore, people in the affected area
should seek safe shelter immediately. Severe thunderstorms can pro-
{See page three)
duce tornadoes with little or no advance warning. Lightning frequency
Remember--WARNINGS indicate imminent is not a criteria for issuing a severe thunderstorm warning. They are
danger to life and property. For questions usually issued for a duration of one hour an can be issued without a
related to severe weather alert signals or as-
Severe Thunderstorm Watch being already in effect. d
sociated required actions, please contact Mr.
Denis Garrett @396–5907, cell 636-4680. {Page 2}

3. severe weather
Where to take
SHELTER
3-3 Where to take shelter:
0-1 • secure building
0-1
• away from exterior walls
Wh
at d • away from windows
o th
ese • below decks (shipboard)
Re num
ad
the ber
art sm
icle ean
to fi :?
nd
out NOT adequate shelter:
• Trailers
The Emergency
• portable enclosures
• motor vehicles
Sheltering Alarm
{all of the above should be avoided}
T he emergency sheltering alarm will announce to the work-
force that they need to take shelter during severe weather.
Personnel will know the alarm has been sounded when they hear
3 short blasts, 30 seconds long at 10 second intervals. The alarm
may also be utilized for other conditions that may result in dan-
ger to life and property. The alarm can be applied for destructive
weather (tornados), force protection or other security events.
S hould the alarm be sounded, personnel should seek shelter
immediately. If weather conditions seem to worsen and the
alarm has not been sounded, supervisors and employees should
utilize good sense and prepare to seek shelter.
A ll personnel shall take shelter in a secure building away from
exterior walls and windows. Personnel working shipboard
shall take shelter below decks. Once the alarm has been sounded,
Remember--WARNINGS indicate imminent
all personnel will remain sheltered until an ALL CLEAR is provided danger to life and property. For questions
which is 1 long continuous siren blast. d related to severe weather alert signals or as-
sociated required actions, please contact Mr.
Denis Garrett @396–5907, cell 636-4680.
{Page 3}

4. For the Home: Emergency Preparedness
Basic items in any emergency
kit remain the same:
Develop a Plan for emergencies
Disaster prevention includes modifying your home to strengthen
• First aid supplies it against storms so that you can be as safe as possible. It also
• Food includes having the supplies on, hand to weather the storm. After
completing each item place a check in the orange box.
• Water
• Important papers Plan Check List:
• Medical supplies • Discuss types of hazards that could affect your family. Know
• Matches, candles home’s vulnerability to storm surge, flooding/wind.
• Locate the safest room or areas in your home for each storm. In
• Emergency battery/self/solar powered
certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home
radio.
but within your community.
Essential Tornado Emergency
Kit Items: • Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet.
These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hun-
• Non-perishable food such as MRE’s
dreds of miles.
(Meals Ready to Eat) • Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family
• Non-electric can opener members have a single point of contact.
• Water (1 gal/person/day for 3 days) • Plan now for what to do with pets if you need to evacuate.
• Shelter in the form of a tent/tarps • Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make
sure your children know how and when to call 911.
• Rain gear
• Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually
• Emergency power source (generator) covered by homeowners insurance.
• Emergency blankets/sleeping bag • Stock non-perishable emergency supplies/Disaster Supply Kit.
• Flashlights and extra batteries • Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery
every 6 months, as you do with your smoke detectors.
• Cell phone and charger
• Take First Aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes.
• Chainsaw and fuel
• Shovels, picks, pry bars, wooden poles
Things to Check out:
FEMA Online Hazard Maps: https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/wps/portal
for removing electric wires FEMA and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) formed a
• Signal flares National Partnership providing multi-hazard maps Visitors can create custom
hazard maps, by entering a zip code and selecting from a variety of hazard
• Battery, solar or self-powered radio
types to help determine disaster risks in any community.
• Light sticks (shake/break light sticks)
• Rope NWS Storm Ready: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/stormready/
To help Americans guard against the ravages of severe weather, the National
• Air horn or whistles for signaling Weather Service has designed StormReady, a program arming America’s com-
• First aid kit that includes splints and munities with the communication and safety skills necessary to save lives and
property.
bandages/first aid manual
• Medicine (prescription medications, and Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool:
over-the-counter pain killers, etc.) http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/training/roadmap/index.html
Informational aid designed to assist communities efforts to reduce hazard vul-
• Sturdy shoes or boots
nerability through strategies relating to awareness, education and mitigation.
• Cash and credit cards
{Page 4}