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SEVERE WEATHER

Communication Guidelines

• Institutional Responsibility
• Department/Manager Responsibility
• Staff Member Responsibility

Institutional Responsibility

The Associate Vice President of News and Communications or his/her designee will:

• Coordinate media announcements with the Vice President of DUHS Public Affairs
• Notify the news media of the severe weather announcement, update the www.duke.edu web page, and update the toll-free 684-INFO telephone system.

The Vice President of DUHS Public Affairs will coordinate media announcements with the communication officers at Duke Hospital, Durham Regional Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital. Each hospital's communication officer will contact the news media with the appropriate announcement.

Once a decision has been made: The Vice-Provost for Information Technology or his/her designee will update the Duke Cable TV alert system.

The hospitals/clinical facilities Chief Operating Officers and the Vice President for Campus Services will activate the appropriate control desks.

The following Duke locations will receive and provide current information:

• Toll-free Duke Information Line - 684-INFO (684-4636)
• Duke Cable TV
• Duke Employee TV (Duke Hospital)
• www.duke.edu

Faculty:  If classes are not canceled but a faculty member is unable to get to campus, he/she should notify students using one of the following options (in decreasing order of preference):

1. Post a notice on the Blackboard course web site. All Duke faculty, with the exception of Fuqua, have access to a web site through Blackboard and can use the "Announcements" section or the group email feature. Instructions for activating these sites are provided at http://blackboard.duke.edu. Fuqua faculty have an alternative web site system.
    
2. Send an email notification to students. For those without a course web site on Blackboard, access to individual emails of students is provided through the class listings on ACES web site
    
3. Call the appropriate departmental or school personnel to get the word out in the rare case of cancellation of individual courses.

Department/Manager Responsibility

Planning: Each department head is responsible for:

• Completing a department preparedness plan and reviewing the plan twice each year before the hurricane and winter seasons.
• Identifying and notifying staff members of their Severe Weather job/work category designation and departmental expectations (i.e., transportation, childcare, meals, lodging, notification, compensation, etc.) during the orientation process and, then, twice each year before the hurricane and winter seasons.

Review with Staff: Each manager is responsible for the following:

• Reviewing the department plan and the staffing contingency plan with the department head at least twice each year (before the hurricane and winter seasons).
• Explaining and providing each staff member with the policy, clarification of entity designation (university, medical center, hospital, etc.) work/job category designation, the department plan and staffing contingency plan, an information card and the Staff Member Preparedness checklist. This document should be reviewed with each staff member twice per year or when staff members are hired, transferred, promoted or otherwise change status (see Orientation web site).

Imminent Severe Weather: The department head and manager should review the policy, department plan and staffing contingency plans if severe weather is imminent.

Policy Activation: The department head activates the pre-planned department communication steps as outlined on the department plan and individual staff member's severe weather/emergency conditions information card.

Staff Member Responsibility

Planning: Each staff member shall be responsible for the following during the New Employee Orientation Period and twice each year before the hurricane and winter seasons:

• Reviewing the Severe weather/emergency conditions policy.
• Clarifying responsibilities and expectations with his/her supervisor.
• Pre-registering for transportation and childcare services.
• Completing the Staff Member Preparedness Plan and discussing specific needs with his/her supervisor.
• Receiving a Severe weather/emergency conditions information card.

Imminent Severe Weather: Each staff member should review the policy and staffing contingency plan with his/her manager if severe weather is imminent.

Policy Activation: Once the policy is activated, follow directions on personal preparedness plan and severe weather/emergency conditions information card.

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