It's snowing is the Center closed? Hotline,
e-mail, voice mail notify you!
By RON HOOD
As we move into the dark and cold of winter, there is an increased
likelihood that we will have to close the Center due to inclement
weather.
We use three means of notifying staff of a Center closure:
broadcast e-mail messages, recorded messages on the Emergency
Information Hotline (667-4000), and broadcast voice-mail messages.
Once management decides to close the Center, we try to have
that decision broadcast to the Center in 30 minutes or less.
If the Center is to be closed before the start of business, we
try to have the decision made by 5:30 a.m. and broadcast by 6
a.m. For early-morning closures, we generally rely on the hotline
and broadcast e-mail. We don't typically use broadcast voice-mail.
If the Center closes during business hours, we sometimes add
broadcast voice-mail. We try to avoid that, however, as the sudden
load tends to hammer the Center's voice-mail system.
We also try to include the status of the shuttle and Hutch
Kids in our closure messages.
When we "close" the Center, we use one of three
standard conditions:
- Open under adverse conditions: The Center operates on a normal
schedule. Non-essential staff may contact their supervisors to
request changes in schedule. Essential staff must report to work.
- Open delayed: The Center is open. Non-essential staff may
report to work at a delayed time (included in the announcement).
Essential staff must report at their usual time.
- Closed: The Center is closed for all but essential staff.
Check with your supervisor to see if your position is considered
essential.
If we have a multi-day weather event, the hotline will be
updated at least once a day, several times each day, as conditions
change. The hotline is updated by 6 a.m. the day following a
closure.
[Ron Hood is manager of voice/data operations.]