Uncategorized

Sign up for NOVA Alert to make sure you get emergency notices

As I was driving past the Annandale campus this morning on my way to our office, I noticed a dozen or so cars turning in.  Normally I would not have thought anything of it except that I received a NOVA Alert text this morning at 5:00 a.m. stating that the campus was closed for the day due to a water main break.  It dawned on me that most of the people turning in have not signed up for NOVA Alert or else they would have been tucked away in bed still.

Signing up for NOVA Alert is EASY and very useful!  Not only will you get a text if the College (or your campus) is closed due to something like a water main break, an electrical outage, or inclement weather but, most importantly, you will get a text when an emergency occurs giving you vital information on what you should know or do.  It is free to sign  up for NOVA Alert (although some wireless carriers may charge to receive the text messages).

You can find more information as well as sign up for NOVA Alert here.

Inclement Weather, Preparedness

Virginia’s Winter Preparedness Week is December 1 – 7

As hard as it may be to believe with today’s temperature going into the mid 60s, winter is less than three weeks away!  OEM and the Commonwealth of Virginia want to make sure you are prepared for whatever this winter may bring.  December 1- 7 has been declared ‘Winter Preparedness Week’ in Virginia to encourage residents to get ready for the upcoming winter months.  Even if it turns out that all the Northern Virginia area receives is a cold winter without snow, it is good to prepare in advance just to be safe.

There are several ways that you can prepare for the upcoming colder months including getting your home ready, buying a shovel and salt for your driveway or sidewalk, getting your car ready by making sure that you have a snowbrush and even an extra blanket inside in case you have car trouble, getting out your winter coats, hats, and gloves, and, last but not least, brushing up on the NOVA inclement weather procedures.

For more information on how to prepare for winter weather, safe winter driving tips, and more, go to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s website.

Inclement Weather, Uncategorized

UPDATED – Change to faculty and staff closing procedure due to inclement weather

In the Fall of 2013, the College adopted a new closing procedure for faculty and staff.  If the College closes early due to inclement weather, faculty and staff will be requested to leave 30 minutes after the time students will be dismissed.  This will help to facilitate an orderly departure from the buildings and campuses.

An example of a message that may go out would be:  “NOVA is closing early today due to inclement weather.  Students will be dismissed at 1:30 pm and faculty and staff will be dismissed at 2pm.”

For more information on NOVA’s closing information including where to go to find out if the College is closed or delayed, click here.

Uncategorized

October 17th at 10:17 AM – The Great SouthEast ShakeOut Earthquake Drill

On Thursday, October 17th at 10:17 AM, NOVA will participate in The Great SouthEast ShakeOut regional earthquake drill.

What do I do?

An announcement will be made at 10:17 AM using the intercom telephone system to start the drill.  Once the announcement is made, you should DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON!

The Timeline will be as follows:

10:17   An announcement will be made that the drill is starting. “This is the start of the Regional Earthquake drill, please drop, cover, and hold on!”  At this time, you should drop to the ground, take cover under a table or sturdy desk, and hold on to it until the shaking stops.

10:22   An announcement will be made that the earthquake is over.  “The earthquake is over, please evacuate your buildings.”  At this time, evacuate the building and report to your assembly point.  *Persons with disabilities should seek assistance in evacuations.

10:35   No announcement will be made, but the drill has officially concluded.  You should re-enter your building and go back to your office or continue class as scheduled.

Note* Mobility Challenged Individuals are encouraged to do the following:

If you’re in a wheelchair: Lock your wheels and remain seated until the shaking stops.  Always protect your head and neck with your arms, a pillow, book, or whatever may be available.

  • Practice your Individual emergency evacuation plan during the evacuation phase of this drill.
  • Relocate to an Area of Assistance (if you are on a floor that does not exit directly outdoors) and wait there until the drill is complete.
  • Please refer to the Emergency Action Plan for more information
Drills, Preparedness, Training

OEMP will be testing the College’s Emergency Notification Systems on October 10th

Faculty and staff:

NOVA has scheduled a test of the Emergency Notification Systems for October 10, 2013 beginning at 9:00am.   The systems that the College will be testing are:

•              NOVA desktop computer alerts (pop-up messages for networked computers only)

•              Digital signage (flat panels)

•              Automated and live broadcasts to all College phones

The message that you will either hear or see will be, “Test of the NOVA Emergency Notification System. This is only a Test”

*Please note that NOVA Alert text messaging system will NOT  be tested at this time, so you should NOT receive a “Test” message on October 10th  if you are registered on the NOVA Alert text messaging system.

You will be receiving an email with more details of how you can assist OEMP to make this a successful test.  Please feel free to contact oemp@nvcc.edu if you have any questions.