Tuesday night's storm split and uprooted trees and scattered debris across campus, but left our buildings unscathed and electric power off only temporarily.

Our biggest losses were on University Drive, where six Bradford pears uprooted and another four suffered split trunks. Four pears at Eblen Center and the Fitness Center also split. In the center of campus, we lost a large oak behind Bartoo, large limbs from maples on the Main Quad, half a large maple between Henderson and Derryberry, and the tops of several large pines behind Walton House. Grounds crew members hope to finish clearing away the tree damage by late Friday, and then concentrate on smaller debris.

A storm as fierce as Tuesday's, with estimated straight-line winds of 80 miles an hour, is a good reminder to stay alert to weather conditions and remember proper safety guidelines during inclement weather. On campus, weather alert radios are now located in all buildings, and all buildings are expected to have a communications plan in effect to warn faculty, staff and students of tornado watches and warnings.

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes occur most often in the mid-south in March, April and May. A secondary season occurs in the fall, typically November and December. Most tornadoes occur in the afternoon and evening; however, tornadoes can occur at all times of day and night and in every month of the year.

In the event of a tornado, remember the same common-sense guidelines you'd follow in your home:

* seek shelter in the lowest levels of buildings and stay clear of windows and doors.

* immediately evacuate areas with widespan roofs or ceilings such as auditoriums, gymnasiums and large meeting rooms.

* take a battery-powered radio transmitter or cell phone for possible use after the tornado.

* remain in a sheltered area until the danger has passed.

* check people around you for injuries once the storm has passed.

The Putnam County Emergency Management Agency activates our exterior sirens to alert residents to take cover during tornado warnings. A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or is indicated on weather radar. A tornado watch means tornadoes may develop, so keep an eye to the sky for thunderstorms, which can produce tornadoes with little or no warning. Our sirens are checked daily with a 2 a.m. "quiet test."

Every campus building has a storm shelter area identified by a placard. On every floor in every campus building, a drawing of each floor's evacuation route, shelter and refuge area is posted, usually near elevators, stairs and main entrances. If the drawing on your floor is missing, call Jim Cobb, director of Environmental Health and Safety, at 3524 to get a new one.

For useful information on emergencies, including tornado preparedness, visit the campus emergency response web site at www.tntech.edu/publicaffairs/emgncy/gen_emer.html.