Lancaster Alerts
Ohio Alert
Please use caution while navigating to/around campus and make appropriate plans to stay safe and warm.
- Friday 1/30/26 - 12:00pm
Frigid conditions are anticipated to further affect all RHE campuses, surrounding region throughout the weekend.
Ohio University is open. Extreme cold conditions are anticipated to further affect each of our campuses and the surrounding region this week.
Please use caution while navigating to/around campus and make appropriate plans to stay safe and warm. Additional cold-weather safety tips are below.
OHIO employees who do not feel it is safe to travel to campus should follow normal call-off procedures or contact their supervisor. If you are uncertain about the status of an upcoming campus or community event, please contact the event organizer(s) directly.
Tips for staying safe and warm
- Dress in layers in order to adjust to both campus building temperatures and temperatures outdoors.
- Give yourself extra time to arrive at your destination. When walking on campus, travel slowly if needed.
- Take small steps, and "walk like a penguin."
- Avoid extended time outdoors to avoid frostbite or hypothermia.
- Additional cold-weather safety tips from the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control are available online.
Additional Information and Guidance
Commuting to Campus
- Plan your travel ahead of time and monitor all weather conditions.
- Be very cautious on roadways, sidewalks and other surfaces.
- Keep all vehicle windows and mirrors free of snow, ice and salt spray to maximize visibility.
Utilizing Campus Facilities
- OHIO’s Facilities Management team has been working diligently to clear campus roadways, parking lots, steps and sidewalks and to respond to heating-related requests across our campus facilities; they appreciate your patience as such requests continue to be monitored, assessed and remediated in a timely fashion.
- Those with immediate concerns regarding campus facilities are encouraged to contact Facilities directly at 740-593-2911.
Campus Status
IMPORTANT CONTACTS
Emergency: 911
Information Office: 740-654-6711
OHIO Alert Classifications
OHIO Alerts deliver timely, important information in the event of a campus incident or emergency; each Alert is color-coded to indicate a situation’s anticipated impact on the University community — GREEN for general information related to campus safety and/or operations, YELLOW for urgent campus situations that pose an emerging risk to campus safety and/or routine operations and RED for critical campus incidents that require immediate action.
Informational
Provides general or routine campus safety and/or operational updates; unlikely to require action by the University community.
Urgent
Provides information regarding an emerging situation that could negatively impact campus safety and/or normal operations; may include University instructions and/or suggested action steps.
Critical
Utilized in the event of an imminent campus threat or emergency that will impact the life, health and safety of the University community; requires immediate community attention and action.
Stay Current. Remain Informed.
All OHIO students, faculty and staff are automatically signed up for alerts based on the mobile phone number provided to the University. Help us ensure that OHIO is able to share timely emergency updates with you by taking a moment to review your contact information.
OHIO Alert Notifications
The following methods of communication are available across OHIO and can be utilized in the event of a campus emergency. It is important to note that emergency situations are often different and unique – not every method will be utilized in every instance.
Web
OHIO’s Alert webpage (www.ohio.edu/alert) is the University’s primary method for sharing information with the University community during a potential or developing life, health and/or safety situation at one or more of OHIO’s campus locations. OHIO Alerts are color-coded, and an informational banner may appear across the top of relevant ohio.edu webpages depending on the nature of the emergency.
Text Message
In the event of an identified urgent or critical alert, OHIO will share important information and/or guidance with the University community directly to their cellular phone numbers. Updates may be sent as needed while a situation evolves. Visit www.ohio.edu/alert for the most up-to-date information.
In the event of an identified urgent or critical alert, OHIO will share important information and/or guidance with the University community via their @ohio.edu email addresses. Updates may be sent as needed while a situation evolves. Visit www.ohio.edu/alert for the most up-to-date information.
Social Media
Following communication through the University’s primary channels (web, text and email), Ohio University may communicate through its official social media channels, primarily via X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, during a potential or ongoing critical incident.
Outdoor Emergency Notification System (Siren/PA system)
Each of OHIO’s campuses is equipped with an outdoor emergency notification system (audible siren/PA), that may be used to notify the campus community of weather-related situations or other emergencies as deemed necessary by the university. An audible educational test of the outdoor emergency notification system occurs each academic semester.
Digital Signage
Ohio University may share critical incident communications via the digital display systems that are prominently installed in many academic, departmental and residential buildings across the Athens campus and many buildings on our regional campuses.
Non-tech Methods
When needed, the University may also utilize non-technical means of communication, including: on-the-ground notifications teams, outdoor bullhorns, printed alerts and more.