Emergency Preparedness

Severe/Inclement Weather Policy and Procedure

Decisions regarding conditions affecting Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) during severe/inclement weather will be made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), after consultation with the President. The VPAA (or designee) will communicate her decision concerning closing of college facilities, opening late or closing early, to employees and students through the following media outlets by 6 a.m. or as early in the day as possible.

Television Outlets

WAGA TV - FOX - Channel 5 - Atlanta
WDEF TV - CBS - Channel 12 - Chattanooga
WGCL TV - CBS - Channel 46 - Atlanta
WRCB TV - NBC - Channel 3 - Chattanooga
WSB TV - ABC - Channel 2 - Atlanta
WTCV TV - ABC - Channel 9 - Chattanooga
WXIA TV - NBC - Channel 11 - Atlanta

Website Outlets

GNTC Website
News Publishing Co. Websites -
- Rome News (romenews-tribune.com)
- Calhoun Times (calhountimes.com)
- Rockmart Journal (rockmartjrl.com)
- Cedartown Standard (cedartownstd.com)
Hometown Headlines: Rome; Gordon; Polk
Rome News Wire
Polk News Wire

Radio Outlets

95.7 The Ridge - Rome/Summerville
Q102 - Northwest Georgia
Rock 105.9 - Rome/Centre AL.
South 107 - Northwest Georgia/Cartersville
WEIS - Centre, AL
WGAA -Cedartown
WLAQ - Rome
WQCH Lafayette
WRGA - Rome
WSKZ (KZ 106) – Chattanooga, TN
WUSY (US 101) – Chattanooga, TN
WZOT - Rockmart

Employees and students should listen to one of the above stations for information about alternate work hours or building closures. Announcements made on other stations may not be accurate. In the absence of official notification of delayed opening or office closure, employees are expected to report to work on time or contact their immediate supervisor or other appropriate personnel as directed by immediate supervisor.

If the existing or imminent weather conditions are sufficiently severe to warrant not opening, opening late, or closing an office or work place early, employees directly affected by such conditions shall be excused from duty without loss of pay or use of leave.

As determined by the College President, employees who are late in arriving to duty or request early release from duty because of severe weather conditions, when the office or work place observed normal hours, may be permitted to make up time lost from work, charge it to accrued personal time, or charge it to accrued annual leave. Otherwise, the time lost shall count as leave without pay.

Employees on a regular day off, or otherwise not affected when their office or work place is closed because of severe weather conditions, shall not receive additional time off or other considerations because of the closing.

The College President, with notice to the Commissioner, is responsible for the administration of this policy for the college.