Winter Weather Driving Safety

Winter weather is here which means it’s time to review winter weather driving safety and skills. The National Weather Service has developed a new Snow Squall Warning that is now being used nationwide. Snow squalls are a frequent occurrence in our region and here’s what you should know about them.

What is a Snow Squall?multi vehicle crashes are a frequent occurrence during snow squalls, especially on highways

  • Quick intense bursts of snow
  • Accompanied by strong gusty winds
  • Short lived, typically less than 3 hours
  • Normally occur during the day

What are the impacts from a Snow Squall?

  • Rapidly reduced visibility
  • Treacherous travel conditions
  • Potential for chain reaction accidents

What is a Snow Squall Warning?

  • Warning is usually 30 to 60 minutes in length
  • Issued for small areas where snow squalls are expected
  • Means snow squalls are happening or about to happen

How can you stay safe?

  • Have a way to get forecasts and warnings
  • Consider an alternate route or delaying travel
  • Stay alert for rapidly changing road conditions
  • Reduce speed and use low beam headlights

Welcome to Cornell’s Emergency Management web site.

This website provides the Cornell community with important information before, during, and after campus emergencies.  We encourage you to bookmark this site and explore it to better prepare before an emergency occurs.

cornell alertEmergency Messages

CornellALERT is the university’s emergency notification system and is used for situations involving an immediate threat to the health and safety of the community.  Active CornellALERT messages appear in the right sidebar of this website (at the top of the page on mobile and small screen devices).

You can receive alerts on your cellular phone if you have provided your contact information or installed the Rave Guardian app and activated it for the Cornell Ithaca Campus. Messages are also sent to the @cornell.edu e-mail addresses of current students, employees, and affiliates.

If you receive a CornellALERT message you should promptly follow the directions given in the message and monitor this emergency web site for additional information.

What to do in an Emergency

CALL 911 for any situation that requires IMMEDIATE police, fire, or medical response to preserve life or property. From cellular phones call Cornell Police at 607-255-1111 or use a Blue Light or indoor emergency phone.

The Emergency Action Guide provides information about what you should do in the case of various emergencies. The Emergency Action Guide appears in the left sidebar of this website and moves to the bottom of the page on mobile and small screen devices. Take a few minutes to read through the guides so you know what actions to take during an emergency.

Preparing for Emergencies

It is everyone’s responsibility to be ready for emergencies before they occur. Use the following pages to help you prepare.

Got 2 minutes? Watch this video to learn how to do Hands Only CPR!