Hurricane Information

Purpose

The purpose of this plan is to provide a procedure to maximize the security of Dothan Campus faculty, staff, students, and property in the event of a hurricane.

Definitions/Explanations

Tropical Storm: Distant rotary circulation's; constant wind speed ranging from thirty-nine to seventy-three miles per hour.

Hurricane: Pronounced rotary circulation constant wind speed of seventy-four miles per hour or more.

Hurricane Watch: A hurricane may threaten coastal and inland areas.

Hurricane Warning: A hurricane is expected to strike an area within 24 hours.

Procedures

Upon receipt of an NOAA Weather Alert broadcast stipulating a "Hurricane Watch" or "Warning" for the Gulf Coast, the Switchboard Operator will notify the Safety/Emergency Director.

NOTE: The dispatcher of the Houston County Sheriff's Department will probably activate the broadcast and receive the acknowledgment if it is made outside the hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In this case, a second call 15 minutes after the broadcast, might be necessary to talk to EMA personnel.

The Safety/Emergency Director will perform one or more of the following action statuses based on the EMA's initial assessment and subsequent updates on the situation:

Monitoring Status: This status is taken when the hurricane is more that 48 hours away from the Dothan Campus.

Monitor NOAA Weather Alert Radio.
Monitor WTVY-FM (95.5) or WOOF-FM (99.7).
Notify and inform members of Crisis Action Team.
The primary objective is to mentally prepare for "Watch" and "Warning" status actions.

Watch Status: This status is taken when the hurricane is 24-48 hours away from the facility.

Monitor NOAA Weather Alert Radio.
Monitor WTVY-FM (95.5) or WOOF-FM (99.7).
Notify and inform members of Crisis Action Team.
The Safety/Emergency Director will inform the Crisis Action Team of their duties in the event the storm enters mainland and is a threat to the Dothan area.

Warning Status: This status is taken when the hurricane is less that 24 hours away from the facility and a storm is imminent.

Monitor NOAA Weather Alert Radio.
Monitor WTVY-FM (95.5) or WOOF-FM (99.7).
Notify and inform members of Crisis Action Team as directed in Section IV of this manual.
The Campus Vice Chancellor or his designated representative will issue orders suspending all classes and closing the campus at a prescribed date and time.

Closing of the campus shall be accomplished in three distinct stages:

Stage 1: All classes and student-related activities shall be suspended. During this stage, students will be requested to leave campus.

Stage 2: All faculty, office, and other nonessential personnel will leave campus. The time of initiation of employee evacuation and the deadline for completing evacuation will be determined by the Campus Vice Chancellor or his designee. Once the evacuation order is given, it is mandatory that all affected persons leave at this time so emergency preparations can be completed.

Stage 3: This will be the final closing stage and all personnel will leave campus. This will normally be two to three hours after Stage 2 has been implemented. Stage 3 will be declared when all buildings have been secured and the Physical Plant department has completed their tasks. No person may remain on campus after Stage 3 is declared unless expressly approved by the President or his designee. Contract Security personnel will remain on campus.