Residential Student Hurricane
Instructions
 All students will be alerted by the Residential
Life Office to make preparations for a
hurricane. Depending on each resident's personal circumstances,
all residents will be encouraged to evacuate campus and go to their
homes. If conditions warrant, evacuation of all students is desired.
(Buildings must be examined to determine strength and safety.) This
may not be possible, however, and Residential
Life will ascertain and coordinate the status of all remaining
students. Students are requested to keep their radios tuned to a local
Fayetteville radio station WFNC 640 for storm advisories and general
information. The following procedures are
recommended in order to provide the maximum amount of safety and
protection for those students residing in the
residence halls.
 The
College, however, is not responsible for damages to, or loss of,
personal property.
Preparation Before the Hurricane
Strikes
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All furniture including beds should be pulled away
from the windows. Electronic equipment (TV, stereo, computer, etc.)
should be unplugged and placed off the floors, preferably in a
closet.
-
Since the floors can get wet, all articles such as
shoes, rugs, clothes bags, suitcases, etc., should be placed on
closet shelves or in dresser drawers.
-
All loose objects should be placed in drawers or
closets. Paper, books, etc., should not be left on tops of desks or
dressers.
-
Valuables should be placed in safekeeping. Closets
and drawers should be closed throughout the
hurricane. All doors should be locked when the occupants are
not in the room.
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Those students who reside in facilities that are
equipped with bathtubs are requested to clean the tub and fill it
halfway with water. If the hurricane is
a major storm, our water supply may be cut off. If this is the case,
the water in the tubs will be needed for washing and flushing
toilets. Fill several small containers with water for drinking
purposes. If more drinking water is needed it will be made available
through the staff as soon as possible.
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All windows must be closed tightly. All
blinds/curtains should be closed.
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Any resident who owns a car should see that the
emergency brake is set and placed in park or reverse gear. All
windows should be closed and the car locked. All cars must remain in
assigned parking areas.
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Each student should provide his or her own flashlight
in case of power failure. Do not use
candles or other flame-type lighting under any circumstances, fire
is uncontrollable during a hurricane.
Use battery powered lighting only.
-
Residents who are unable to evacuate will be assigned
to temporary housing as outlined in the Evacuation Plan.
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Remaining residents should provide their own snack
items. Dining services will provide food when it is possible for the
students to come to the dining hall. If food must be brought to the
halls, the Residential Life Staff will
notify students of the schedule and place. Grills and any other use
of flammable items are forbidden.
-
Residents will be required to check out of their
respective hall with the Residence Director prior to leaving campus.
If you vacate your residence prior to
the storm, please make sure all windows and doors are secure.
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Procedures
During the Hurricane
-
It is essential that all remaining residents stay indoors
throughout the entire hurricane. Residents
must not leave the assigned residential living unit until directed to
do so by a
professional Residential Life staff
member. During the storm, for maximum protection, residents are to
close room doors and remain in the hallways. If you are not familiar
with a hurricane, there is always a lull
in the storm when the eye passes through the area. Once the eye passes
though, the storm begins again, but from the opposite direction. STAY
INDOORS.
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Residents should proceed to the interior corridors of the
residence hall(s) and remain away from
danger areas, such as glass windows and doorways in lobby areas.
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First aid and/or food service will be made available whenever the
storm passes or power is restored.
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Do not attempt to open windows or doors to see what is happening
outside.
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Report all accidents, injuries, broken windows, or excessive water to
a Safety staff member.
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Telephone calls should be made only in case of emergency. The lines,
if still working, will be overloaded.
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"Hurricane Parties" are only for the
movies. Do not drink alcohol? Everyone must think clearly during a
hurricane. Emergency Assistance:
Residential Life Staff have First Aid
Kits. Primary First Aid assistance will be available to all
Residence Halls housing students.
Subsequent medical attention, if required, for resident students and
essential staff will be available at the Student Health Center. If
everyone will remain calm, stay inside and observe all instructions
and precautions, there is reduced danger.
Definitions of Hurricane
Terminology
 The Eye of a
Hurricane
- the great spiraling winds of a hurricane
surround a relatively calm center called the "eye." This calm is a
deadly deception as maximum force winds and torrential rains border
it. Many deaths and injuries have been caused by those venturing out
when the eye passes only to be caught later in the maximum destructive
force of the storm. Hurricane - A type of
tropical storm with strong winds circulating around an extreme
low-pressure area. When wind speed reaches 74 miles per hour the
storms are classified as hurricanes.
Hurricane
Watch
- Issued when a hurricane may threaten a
specified land area within 24 to 36 hours.
Hurricane
Warning
- issued when a hurricane (winds more than
74 miles per hour) is expected in a specific land area within a
24-hour period.
Tornado
- rotating column of air revolving around a low-pressure center,
having a vortex several hundred yards in diameter, whose whirling may
reach speeds up to 300 miles per hour
Tropical disturbance
- a moving area of thunderstorms in the tropics that maintains its
identity for at least 24 hours.
Tropical storm
- a weather formation with distinct circulation and highest wind
speeds of between 39 and 73 miles per hour.
Wind shear
- intense, upward and downward moving columns of wind.
Saffir/Simpson Hurricane
Intensity Categories
In use since 1975, the Saffir/Simpson scale categories storms as
Category 1-5, based on barometric pressure, sustained wind velocity,
and storm surge. A Category 1 is the least destructive, whereas
Category 5 is catastrophic.
|
Category |
Sustained Winds |
Damage |
| 1 |
74-95
mph |
Minimal |
| 2 |
96-110 mph |
Moderate |
| 3 |
111-130 mph |
Extensive |
| 4 |
131-155 mph |
Extreme |
| 5 |
>155 mph |
Catastrophic |
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