“Many campus building have designated storm shelters. There are signs [white with green lettering] indicating where storm shelters are located. Information is also available on evacuation maps in these buildings [also posted at http://www.ehs.iastate.edu]. The best thing you could possibly do in the event of a tornado is find the lowest-lying area possible. This is ideal if a basement is available. Otherwise, find an interior windowless room — the smaller the area of the room, the better. Essentially, you want to put as many walls between you and the tornado as possible. Definitely avoid a one-story building because of the danger of roof damage. We encourage people to take personal responsibility for their own safety. They should be signed up for the campus alert system, and be aware of the possibility of severe weather through television stations and the Web. Also remember that the sirens are meant to be heard outdoors, so if you’re in certain campus buildings, you may not hear the sirens. This is another reason why it’s important to be signed up for an e-mail or text alert.”