Early Warning Alert System

James Madison University has installed an early warning alert system throughout campus to notify the JMU community of immediate impending threats due to severe weather or other emergency situations.

The automated system consists of early warning severe weather detection devices located on campus that are connected to air horns and strobe lights strategically placed throughout campus that can be used to alert the JMU community when atmospheric weather conditions are imminently likely to produce dangerous lightning strikes on or around the JMU campus.

When activated, warning devices currently located on top of UREC, Godwin Hall, at the Reservoir Street soccer fields and at the Public Safety building on South Main Street across from the Quad will sound a single fifteen second audible signal from their air horns and their strobe lights will begin to flash. Students, faculty, staff or visitors to the University who are outside should seek shelter immediately in any sturdy structure normally occupied or frequently used by people, i.e. a building with plumbing and/or wiring that acts to electrically ground the structure, or follow any specific instructions given by on-site university officials at athletic or other special events and await the all clear signal. In the absence of a sturdy, frequently inhabited building, any vehicle with a hard metal roof (not a convertible), with the windows rolled up completely, such as a car, bus, or truck, can provide a measure of safety. A vehicle is certainly better than remaining outdoors. It is not the rubber tires that make a vehicle a safe shelter, but the hard metal roof which transfers the lightning current around the vehicle.

All outdoor and swimming pool activity is to be stopped, and all people involved must seek shelter or leave the swimming pool area to seek safe shelter. Even though a swimming pool is indoors, this does not insure safety; lightning travels very easily through bodies of water. Avoid using the locker room shower facilities for safe shelter, and do not use the shower or plumbing facilities! Lightning can travel through the plumbing and pipes of a building. It has been documented that people have been struck by lightning in the shower.

Stay away from the tallest trees or objects (such as light poles or flag poles), metal objects (such as metal fences or metal bleachers), individual trees, standing pools of water, and open fields. Avoid being the highest object in a field, and do not take shelter under a single, tall tree. Metal fences should be grounded in accordance with the National Electric Code.

If there is no safe shelter within a reasonable distance away, crouch in a thick grove of small trees surrounded by taller trees, or a dry ditch. Assume a crouched position on the ground with only the balls of the feet touching the ground, wrap your arms around your knees and lower your head. Minimize contact with the ground, because lightning current often enters a victim through the ground rather than a direct overhead strike. MINIMIZE YOUR BODY'S SURFACE AREA, AND MINIMIZE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND! DO NOT LIE FLAT! If a person feels his or her hair stand on end, or skin tingle, immediately crouch, as described in item.

When the danger has passed the system will automatically sound three short consecutive five second audible signals indicating the all clear! The system may be used to alert campus of other non-weather related threats. Any tests of the system will always begin and end with an all clear signal! If further information regarding the danger or other special instructions is necessary, it may be broadcast on radio am 1610, the JMU radio broadcast system.

Remember:

System Activation - a singe 15 second blast of the air horns means danger! You should seek shelter immediately or follow the specific instructions given by on-site officials at athletic or other special events.

All clear – consists of 3 consecutive - 5 second blasts of the air horns!

Air horns (pause) Air horns (pause) Air horns = all clear!

THOR GUARD OPERATIONAL TERMS

Polarity – THOR GUARD distinguishes between positive and negative polarity because during most storm conditions a negative electrostatic field of the same intensity as a positive field poses a much higher lightning hazard level. The intensity and shifts in polarity may be observed on the “Energy Level” LED bar. Negative polarity is displayed in red (3V), and Positive polarity is displayed in yellow (3V).

Range – There are four (4) internal “Range” settings (Low, Medium, Medium High, High). The “Range” dictates the sensitivity of the system. A “Low” setting will make the system 50% less sensitive than a “High” setting. The prime consideration for selecting one setting or another is the amount of time required to move people to an area of safety following a “Red Alert” condition. Changing the “Range” setting will significantly change the operation of the THOR GUARD system and should only be done after consultation with a factory representative.

LHL (Lightning Hazard Level) – This is the probability, from 0-90%, of a lightning strike occurring within the defined area or Range (up to 15 miles) being monitored by the facility. The LHL will be the first and last indication that energy is present in the total area monitored.

DI (Dynamic Index) – The measurement of the electrical activity in the immediate area and the probability, from 0-90%, that if lightning strikes, it will strike nearby (2.5 mile radius). The DI determines the warning level based on energy migration in your immediate area. A DI of “3” (30% probability) will trigger a “Red Alert” condition which should provide a warning margin of eight (8) to twenty (20) minutes before the arrival of local lightning activity. If it does not then the “Range” may need adjustment.

BOB (Bolt out of the Blue) – The condition in which very powerful lightning discharges may occur even with no clouds at all in the immediate area. A BOB may emanate from a weather front 10-20 miles away. When the system senses the conditions for this hazard the “Status” window will display a “BOB” message. This potential hazard should be treated as a “Red Alert” condition.

AD (Activity Detector) – The “Activity Detector” is an estimate of how much time before normal activities may resume. This number will be reset every time a major excursion of energy (i.e., Lightning strike) is recorded. The Activity Detector running time is a maximum of 10 minutes (unless reset) after which the system will return to the “All Clear” status.

FCC (Field Collapse Count) – The FCC represents a sudden excursion of energy in the total area being monitored. Should a conductor be available, then visible lightning will be seen. On many occasions high amounts of energy may be exchanged without any visible indications of the exchange. The frequency of FCC’s during a storm is indicative of the intensity of the storm.

BUFFER – A record of storm activity may be saved to replay at a later date. The customer may choose the quantity of data to be saved to disk in the “Setup Menu.” By selecting the “Replay” button you may replay any file containing past storm data.

AP (Alarm Preset) – There are two (2) audible “Alarm Preset” levels that may be activated in the “Setup Menu.” The “MUTE” button may be used to silence the alarm.

“Energy Level”: Red = The intensity of Negative (-) energy (Polarity) in the total area being monitored. Yellow = The Positive (+) energy (Polarity) in the same area.

“All Clear”: The Status Display window will normally show a green “All Clear” message when the system is sensing no local storm activity.

“Caution”: When the system first recognizes the presence of electrostatic energy within the total area being monitored, the white Caution message will be displayed. Although the primary purpose of this warning is to alert you of a change in surrounding conditions, fast moving storms can and will make this level of warning important to monitor.

“Warning”: The yellow “Warning” message indicates that electrical storm energy is migrating and shifting in your surrounding area. In some situations this represents enough of an increased safety threat to also activate the external alarms, if you have any.

“Red Alert”: In addition to indicating a potentially dangerous lightning condition, the Red Alert switch may be depressed to activate any external alarms or switches. It is definitely advisable to now curtail any outside activity!

For further information on lightning, go to the National Lightning Safety Institute.