Closing for Watches or Warnings

[Laurentkd]

Ok, I don't know where the best place is to post this, but I figure I'll get a lot of feedback here or else it will get moved.

So here is my question. This is for people who go to professional schools (not influenced by community centers, and not in someone's personal home or outside). What is your schools stance on closing for severe weather? Currently our school closes when there are Tornado watches and definitely warnings. As a reminder, a "watch" means conditions are favorable for tornado activity, and a "warning" means that a tornado has been spotted and to take cover immediately. Our school has the entire front wall as solid windows, and the only good place to take shelter would be in the bathrooms. We could fit everyone there in an emergency, but we don't feel it is worth the risk to have class (especially when parents drop their kids off) in conditions that could quickly turn scary. Unfortunately, living in the mid-west we get these types of watches and warnings fairly often, and most people around here tend to ignore them. This makes some students upset when we cancel class for what they think is no good reason, however the owner of the school (and thus the responsible party) doesn't feel it is worth the risk to be responsible for 20 or more lives with dangerous weather is possible.
So I was wondering what you all think and what you all do. I agree with students that it can be disappointing to not have class because of a tornado watch, because most likely it won't develop into anything bad, but at the same time, it doesn't happen THAT often (maybe 3 or 4 times a year- unfortunately all during about march to June) and I know I would not want to be at the martial art school with lots of scared kids (and even panicking adults) should a tornado hit. We even have an Emergency Action Plan in place (which I and another Black Belt made for a college project, so it is complete and thorough and really good plan, if I do say so myself. If anyone doesn't have an EAP. I would strongly recommend finding a good example of one and putting one in place) but I still wouldn't want to feel responsible for other lives during a tornado.

So what do you all think?

 

[Laurentkd]

:asian: Just adding to this, I should have put "commercial" schools instead of "professional", I in no way meant to sound as if I was down playing the quality of instructors who teach in community centers or privately. :asian:

 

[Kacey]

Well, since my class meets in the basement level of the building (YMCA) we're probably safer there than most of us would be at home - so I wouldn't close for a tornado watch - a warning, yes, because I wouldn't want to drive, and wouldn't expect my students to do so either.

I have canceled class for other weather-related reasons, usually having to do with icy roads and/or heavy snowfall. The Y has canceled class a few time for power outages.

 

[Touch Of Death]

No tornados here.:ultracool However if one of our volcanoes blows, nothing will matter.
Sean

 

[tellner]

Well, the vestigial benediction our teacher gives as we leave is "Drive careful!" Braving icy roads or deadly storms to go to a martial arts class? Doesn't sound like driving carefully

 

[Carol]

Ok, I don't know where the best place is to post this, but I figure I'll get a lot of feedback here or else it will get moved.

So here is my question. This is for people who go to professional schools (not influenced by community centers, and not in someone's personal home or outside). What is your schools stance on closing for severe weather? Currently our school closes when there are Tornado watches and definitely warnings. As a reminder, a "watch" means conditions are favorable for tornado activity, and a "warning" means that a tornado has been spotted and to take cover immediately. Our school has the entire front wall as solid windows, and the only good place to take shelter would be in the bathrooms. We could fit everyone there in an emergency, but we don't feel it is worth the risk to have class (especially when parents drop their kids off) in conditions that could quickly turn scary. Unfortunately, living in the mid-west we get these types of watches and warnings fairly often, and most people around here tend to ignore them. This makes some students upset when we cancel class for what they think is no good reason, however the owner of the school (and thus the responsible party) doesn't feel it is worth the risk to be responsible for 20 or more lives with dangerous weather is possible.
So I was wondering what you all think and what you all do. I agree with students that it can be disappointing to not have class because of a tornado watch, because most likely it won't develop into anything bad, but at the same time, it doesn't happen THAT often (maybe 3 or 4 times a year- unfortunately all during about march to June) and I know I would not want to be at the martial art school with lots of scared kids (and even panicking adults) should a tornado hit. We even have an Emergency Action Plan in place (which I and another Black Belt made for a college project, so it is complete and thorough and really good plan, if I do say so myself. If anyone doesn't have an EAP. I would strongly recommend finding a good example of one and putting one in place) but I still wouldn't want to feel responsible for other lives during a tornado.

So what do you all think?

I lived in the midwest for 4 years and know what you mean about tornado watches and warnings and how often they are ignored.

My particular area has been hit with "hundred year floods" 5 times out of the last 11 years. Many folks don't understand why.

"But...that's not on the coast, that's a few miles inland" "But, there are no lakes or rivers in that area" "Flood? What is there in that area to flood?"

One of the most important elements of martial arts is situational awareness and taking appropriate action.

I think a MA school that closes a few days out of the year due to a weather warning is showing good situational awareness and taking appropriate actions. The folks driving the vehicles in the pictures certainly didn't.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h199/lady_kaur/peabody.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h199/lady_kaur/peabody2.jpg

 

[karatekid1975]

I train at a rec center. My instructor will close classes IF the schools do for severe weather. We live in "snow country" up here in Upstate NY. But we are pretty used to it, and very rarely close ANYTHING do to snowfall. But ice storms, and/or "whiteouts," however, has closed schools and businesses. Therefore class was canceled. But it happened maybe three for four times in the last 5 years I've been here (mostly do to ice and REALLY heavy snowfall ... more than a few feet in one day, that is).

 

[IcemanSK]

In Los Angeles it's not much of an issue, but I'm from the Chicago area. (tornado alley in springtime). I would cancel class for severe weather if for no other reason than because I wouldn't want folks driving, walking, etc. in that stuff.

 

[bluemtn]

I know I live in a mountainous area, but we do get tornado's from time to time... So, outside of my classes that I attend (which are in a church)- I've seen/ heard of local dojo's/ dojang's close because of warnings, and they remained aware of it with watches. I used to live in Memphis, myself, so it's pretty much habit to really watch things to see what happens, and decide if I'll go at all or not.

With snow, if it's more than an inch or 2, it's closed, and closed with icy conditions...

 

[HKphooey]

Always better be safe than sorry.

 

[Tez3]

Er, I know they say the Brit's favourite topic of conversation is the weather but it sort of pales into insignificance compared to what some of you get! Having said that though we do get high winds which bring trees down on roads flooding is getting worse. They say it's global warming but it more likely to be the pressure for more and more housing is making people build on low lying ground near rivers. Certain places on the east coast of England share with Holland the problem of below sea level land and the sea coming in. On the whole though we don't have to cancel classes people just use their common sense.

 

[FearlessFreep]

No tornados here.:ultracool However if one of our volcanoes blows, nothing will matter.
Sean

Your art doesn't have self-defense techniques against a wall of ash or a lava flow? Humph... not very effective, is it?

 

[chrismay101]

In england if one snow flake hits the ground the whole country grinds to a halt!