Hurricane Preparedness

By: Mae Brown

It’s hurricane season. Are you prepared? With the Atlantic hurricane season lasting through the end of November, we’re not out of hot water yet.

Whether you reside on campus or off, it is important to be prepared as well as knowledgeable. How are students keeping abreast of hurricane safety tips and taking the necessary precautions?

“I’ve never taken precautions on my own, but if I needed to, I would probably take my dog to a boarding house if I had to evacuate,” said Zach Rhoads, a Business major. “Living off campus, you have to take care of yourself, but on-campus I feel like the precautions are already put into place for you.”

James Miller, a Mass Media and Sociology senior, said, “I’m not really doing anything because I don’t feel that we are that at risk.”

There are university directives put into place to facilitate the safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff in case of severe weather. Text message alerts are sent to those who register their numbers with Blackboard, and there is also a warning siren put out by the campus police when imminent action must be taken to find shelter, etc.

“At times I feel that we get so many alerts that it becomes an overload and they become kind of easy to dismiss, but I see the importance of them and I believe that it is important that this system is in place and we continue to use it,” Miller said. “I think it is important to know the basics and what sort of services you can utilize. We don’t really get a lot of high risk alerts in this area but it is important to be aware of the standard precautions and community services that are available in such an event.”

The National Hurricane Center offers these tips:
1. Develop a family plan: Go over with everyone where/when you will
evacuate and assign tasks to each person (for example, packing blankets, filling up water jugs).
2. Make boarding arrangements for pets in the event that you cannot
bring them to an emergency shelter.
3. Create a disaster supply kit: Items such as a first aid, canned food, a battery-operated radio and medicine.
4. Secure your home: Board up windows. Secure things in the yard that
could become projectiles in the harsh wind.

Hurricane safety is an important issue for everyone and must not be taken lightly. By being well-informed and staying on top of the weather reports and local broadcasts, you can better prepare for situations that may arise. Remember to plot a safety plan and be aware of evacuation routes and shelters near your area.