It’s tempting on a cold, snowy day to just get back in bed and curl up with a good book. Before you get too comfortable, we want to remind you to check out The University of New Mexico’s inclement weather policies.

UNM will alert all students, staff and faculty of closures or delays because of weather. It’s done through a multi-tiered approach aimed at making it easy for you to stay informed. Everyone associated with UNM and with a UNM email account will be automatically signed up for LoboAlerts.

“LoboAlerts is a system that allows us to text, email and post information on social media in an emergency,” UNM Emergency Manager Byron Piatt says. “It’s a great tool, and you can manage your contact preferences – or even opt into the system if you are a parent or occasionally have business at UNM, but aren’t an employee.”

You will never receive unsolicited advertising from the system. LoboAlerts are only used in emergencies and are a great way of getting information out quickly. In fact, each time an alert is sent it goes out to 50,000 recipients, Piatt says.

The text messages are short, 160 characters or less. To ensure you have all the information you need, a follow-up e-mail is also sent that includes more detail. There are also LoboAlert social media pages on Facebook or Twitter that you can check for updates.

So, what if you don’t check your e-mails when you aren’t at work, aren’t on social media and have opted out of the text messages? We still have you covered! You can always call the SNOW hotline, 277-SNOW (277-7669), which will alert you to what’s open, closed or delayed.

Certain UNM employees whose positions are critical will need to report to work, even when the university is closed. That includes those working at UNM Hospital and UNM clinics, UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center, UNM Medical Group, Inc., UNM Facilities Management and UNM Police Department.

“Here’s a good rule of thumb: when the weather is good, the hospital is open. When the weather is bad, the hospital is open,” says UNMH CEO Kate Becker. “Our patient needs don’t take a break because of snow, and being the state’s only Level I trauma center means we always put patients first.”

Be sure to review the inclement weather policy if you do work in a clinical setting (you can find it uploaded with this article). Also, make sure you have your supervisor’s after-hours contact information. If you are unsure what to do, call your supervisor.