In the Eye of the Storm: How Universities Prepare for Hurricanes

Hurricanes have been a fact of life in Florida and the Gulf Coast long before colleges and universities were ever erected.?

Since their inception, higher ed institutions have dealt with these natural disasters as everyone else does in these regions — as a matter of course. But today, as global warming extends the hurricane season and enables storms to escalate more rapidly and to greater intensities than ever before, the preparation that go into ensuring the safety of everyone in their communities has also ramped up.

Amy Farnum-Patronis, the senior director at Florida State University’s communications office, is part of a virtual meeting that includes more than 80 departments around campus.

“We have group texts and (Microsoft) Teams channels where we communicate our status — who has evacuated, lost power or has damage to their home. We are fortunate to have a large team and have multiple backups for different roles,” she says.

Scott Orlando, who aptly is the vice president of communications at the University of Florida, offers simple but essential advice for anyone facing a hurricane:

1. Plan: “Have a plan and be sure to check it on a regular basis.”
2. Keep it simple: “Do not have a big guide; make it an easy flow chart.”
3. Ease anxieties: “Tell people when you are going to communicate next. The parents are anxious. The students are too.”

Sadly, it is not a question of “if,” but “when” the next hurricane hits.?

This week on Volt, reporter Andy Cuneo explores what it’s like at the nerve center of campus communications before and during these events.

Read the story.

This week's newsletter written by Aaron Stern

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