Reminder: Michigan Medicine severe weather plan

This winter, Michigan Medicine’s Emergency Management Operations reminds all staff to review the organization's Severe Weather Plan. The plan helps to ensure the safety of all patients, staff and visitors by preparing ahead of time.

Here's how you can help:

• Follow weather reports and alerts
• Speak with your supervisor ahead of time to review if you have department-specific policies in place
• Plan extra time to get to work on snowy or icy days
• Consider alternatives for child care in the case of school closures

Because of the organization’s mission to provide exceptional patient care, all Michigan Medicine staff members are considered critical employees and are expected to report to work during regularly scheduled shifts in the event the university experiences an emergency reduction in operations.

Every reasonable effort to report for work as scheduled should be made if operations are being maintained in the employee’s department. If reasonable attempts to do so fail, employees should notify their supervisors of their inability to report to work and of the conditions which prevent them from doing so.

In the case of severe weather, supervisors and department heads should ensure staff and patient safety by taking the following steps:

• Assess staffing needs for critical staff and set priorities.
• Contact staff scheduled for subsequent shifts to determine whether they are capable of reporting to work.
• Do not send staff home until their replacement has arrived.
• Assess supply needs and set priorities.

Departments have the option of allowing staff the opportunity to work from home, depedning upon the situation. 

Click here to review Michigan Medicine’s Emergency Management Operations Severe Weather response plan.