When a tornado warning is issued for Howell County, Missouri, the Site Coordinator will immediately activate the Missouri State Alert system when classes are in session, notifying persons of the warning and that they should take shelter in either the Community Shelter or a Secondary Shelter area at their discretion. Site Coordinators, as specified below, will ensure the Community Shelter is opened at any time a tornado warning is issued for Howell County and is ready for students and the general public in the Tornado Protection Zone. Other members of the Shelter Operations Team will assume their duties, as well.

Opening the Community Shelter: The Site Coordinator and Assistant Site Coordinators will each have a key to the shelter. Responsibility for opening the shelter during severe weather events will fall to those personnel in this order: 1) 2^nd Assistant Site Coordinator; 2) Site Coordinator; 3) Assistant Site Coordinator. Close communication among the Shelter Operations Team members is critical to the success of the program.