Know Before the Snow - Office of Emergency Management

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Before the big snow storm hits start thinking about and preparing for winter weather.

Is Campus Closed?

If a Tufts campus is closed we’ll send an email and post to web and social media, in addition to local broadcast media. If you really want to know right away, sign up for the optional weather closing text message.

Personal Preparedness

Tufts’ Emergency Response Guide has helpful tips on staying warm, dry, and safe in winter. Learn about the wintertime dangers of carbon monoxide and extreme cold from a past blog post, Digging Out, Safely, a remnant of the record-setting winter of 2015. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has comprehensive safety tips for winter storms and extreme cold.

Department Preparedness

Continuity Planning

Planning for the Worst in Tufts Now offers a look at how departments can prepare for a variety of disasters. We may not think of a winter storm as a “disaster”, but it can disrupt our organization, impacting teaching, research, patient care, and critical operations.

Continuity Planning helps departments to prepare for such interruptions, identifying strategies to sustain or quickly resume critical functions, and protecting often irreplaceable property such as records or research materials.
For teaching faculty, Instructional Continuity provides useful tips for using technology to make sure your students don’t miss a beat during a snow day.

Employees in Essential Service Areas

The nature of the university’s activities and the complexity of operations require that certain services be provided at all times. Please speak with your supervisor now to understand if you may be required to report for work even during a university closing, such as a snow day. See the Employee Handbook for details.

Telecommuting

In emergency situations – including weather closures – employees may be directed by their supervisor to work remotely. Prepare by reviewing the Telecommuting Guidelines and making sure you are able to access technology to support uninterrupted productivity. Tufts Technology Services offers guidance for working off campus or with personal devices.