The Office of Communications & Marketing, Texas Tech Police Department, and Office of Emergency Management maintain the online Emergency Communications Center at emergency.ttu.edu. This is a public website to inform the Texas Tech University community about what to do in advance of, during, and after an emergency.

Additionally, Texas Tech University employs the latest technology to alert all faculty, staff, and students in the event of a significant emergency on campus. The TechAlert! Emergency Communications System is an externally hosted service through which critical information and updates are sent via voice, text, email, social networks, websites, and digital signage across campus.

All faculty, staff, and students are automatically enrolled with their Texas Tech email address and the primary phone number listed in their personnel or registration records. The system accommodates three additional numbers with options for text messages and TDD/TTY for the hearing impaired. All members of the Texas Tech community should keep their information updated by going to emergency.ttu.edu and clicking on the “Update Your Contact Information” button. The information is secure and will never be used by Texas Tech University for any reason other than emergency alert notifications.

Any emergency can be reported by dialing 911.

In case of a fire, the respective department chairperson, dean's office, and building emergency manager should be notified after the fire has been reported. Fire extinguishers are placed in all buildings in convenient locations on all floors. Evacuation routes are posted in the department's Emergency Action Plan, which is available on the Emergency Management website. For urgent facility maintenance requirements, call Facilities Maintenance & Construction at 806.742.4677 during regular working hours. If repair is needed immediately, call after normal hours.

Warning and Alert Systems

The university maintains several warning and alert systems for use in the event of major storms or other disasters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce provides continuous broadcasts of the latest weather information from the National Weather Service. Taped weather messages are repeated every two to three minutes and are revised hourly. When circumstances warrant, specially designed warning receivers (weather alert radios) can be activated. The weather alert radios sound an alarm indicating that an emergency exists, alerting the listener to turn the receiver up to an audible volume.

Various sirens located throughout the campus are activated whenever the campus is in imminent danger. Persons should immediately seek shelter upon hearing the siren. In the residence halls, fire alarm speakers with verbal instructions will be used to signal a severe weather notification. Tests of the various warning and alert systems are conducted each semester and are publicized online in advance of the tests.

If a tornado warning is issued or a tornado is sighted, the following actions should be taken: seek inside shelter, preferably on the lowest possible floor of a building in the most interior room, away from windows and outside walls. The tornado shelter areas for Texas Tech buildings are included in the department Emergency Action Plan (EAP) located on the Emergency Management website. Be sure to evacuate upper floors of all buildings, reminding individuals to seek shelter in an interior hallway and stay away from windows; lie flat on the floor and use tables, mattresses, or blankets for cover. If caught in open country, lie face down in the deepest depression available such as a ditch, culvert, or ravine. Emergency preparedness guidelines and homeland security information are available at emergency.ttu.edu.

Faculty Handbook Contents

Introduction

General Information

Role of the Faculty

Facilities and Services

Office of the Provost

Research

Faculty Affairs

Benefits and Services

Emergency Procedures

Financial Exigency Plan

Faculty Directory

Operating Policies