Severe Weather Watch for Bay Area (to faculty and staff)

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

 

Dear Faculty and Staff:

The National Weather Service has issued Severe Weather Watches for the Bay Area beginning late this evening through Friday, December 12.  Severe winds, rain and flash flooding are anticipated.

The University is actively preparing to mitigate water intrusion and the effects of strong winds on campus facilities.  In addition, all faculty and staff are asked to take any of the following measures that are appropriate for their work area:

  • Securely close and latch doors and windows.
  • Unplug and/or turn off all lights, computers and electric appliances when not in use, in order to avoid overloading circuits and fire hazards if a power outage occurs. Lights and electronics may be turned on after power is restored.
  • Ensure essential departmental emergency supplies are on hand (such as flashlights, batteries, first aid kits and water bottles).
  • Back up data files that do not reside on the University servers, in adherence with SF State information security policies.
  • Review inside storage arrangements and relocate all susceptible materials off of floors and away from windows, anchor loose yard storage that is not susceptible to water damage. If possible, relocate outside equipment or materials inside.
  • If you anticipate water entering a facility despite all physical barriers, remove all valuable equipment to a safe location.
  • Research facilities should take precautionary measures to prepare for protecting research samples and materials, animal health and safety.

In addition, it is anticipated that weather may cause transportation difficulties on Thursday and Friday.  The campus community is encouraged to take public transportation on those days.  To facilitate use of public transportation, the University has arranged for additional shuttles for this evening through 6 p.m. Friday.

Please report water intrusion, fallen trees or branches, or other storm damage to Facilities and Service Enterprises as soon as possible. Contact the Work Control Desk at:  (415) 338-1568 during office hours.  In the event of an after-hours emergency, please contact University Police Department at (415) 338-7200.

At this time, the University anticipates that classes will be in session Thursday and Friday, and that all offices will be open for normal operations.  In the event University operations are affected, notices will be posted on the University website, main social media accounts (Twitter: @SFSU, Facebook: sanfranciscostate), and if necessary, alerts will be sent by way of the emergency notification system.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to review their emergency notification preferences to ensure that they receive timely alerts about campus emergencies. For more information, including step-by-step instructions with screen captures, visit http://cms.sfsu.edu/faculty-staff-training#using-hr-self-service

Sincerely,
Les Wong,
President