How should a correctional facility respond to a tornado warning when inmates are inside housing units?

• A. Evacuate all inmates to the outdoor yard.
• B. Move to designated shelter areas, secure inmates, take attendance, and monitor weather updates and communications.
• C. Ignore warning and continue normal routines.
• D. Lock all doors but keep inmates in cells without movement checks.

Answer: (B)

During a tornado warning, the priority is to shield inmates and maintain control while staying informed. Move to designated shelter areas inside the facility—places away from windows and exterior walls, ideally reinforced or interior rooms—so inmates are protected from flying debris and structural hazards. Secure inmates there and conduct attendance to ensure everyone is accounted for throughout the shelter period. Continuously monitor weather updates and communications so staff can adapt as the situation evolves and know when it’s safe to resume normal operations. Evacuating to an outdoor yard is unsafe due to debris and collapse risks, ignoring the warning endangers everyone, and locking doors with no movement checks hinders accountability and rapid relocation if conditions worsen.