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On Sunday night, 4/28/02, Wicomico County was under a tornado watch which later changed to a tornado warning. A tornado watch means conditions are conducive to the development of tornados. A tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted or indicated on radar in the area.
University Police monitored the storm that produced the tornado watch/warning. As soon as it was determined that the track of the storm was passing not far to the south of campus, a decision was made to evacuate the residents of Dogwood Village. As had been pre-planned, the temporary shelter is the lower level of the Commons. At 8:35pm, the students were directed to the Commons. At 9:10pm, they were allowed to return to their rooms.
The evacuation of Dogwood Village was done as a precaution because these buildings are the only wooden-structure residence halls on campus. The best place to be during any severe storm is in a protected interior room on the lowest floor of the building, as far as possible from exterior walls and windows.
Other advice: If you are in a mobile home, leave immediately and take shelter in a more stable structure. If you are outdoors or in a vehicle, take shelter immediately in a nearby building.
For more information about tornados, go to the following web sites:
www.weather.com, www.redcross.org or www.spc.noaa.gov.
Jim Phillips
Chief, University Police
410-543-6007
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