University plans for the worst

By Jake Halkovic
Contributing Writer

More than 1,000 people have disappeared after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, leaving many students homeless and without an institution. Universities are left to wonder where the hammer will fall next.

In September 2004, University of North Florida students were evacuated from the residence halls in response to the threat of Hurricane Frances. For many students, evacuating UNF and returning home involved turning south, into the storm.

“It was ridiculous to send students south, into the path of the hurricane,” said Michael Pizzoferrato, a sophomore civil engineering major.

With the 2005 outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration appearing grimmer than last year’s, it is feasible that UNF may face difficulties similar to or worse than fall 2004.

“The updated outlook calls for an extremely active season, with an expected seasonal total of 18 to 21 tropical storms (mean is 10), with nine to 11 becoming hurricanes (mean is six), and five to seven of these becoming major hurricanes (mean is two to three),” according to the NOAA Atlantic hurricane season outlook.

Because NOAA anticipates five to seven major hurricanes, university administrators have made preparations in case of a hurricane coming to Jacksonville.

“UNF is actually participating in a program overseen by the Red Cross named ‘Adopt a Shelter,’ which will allow evacuating students a close and familiar place to turn should UNF be closed in the event of an approaching hurricane,” said Lynn Hendricks, director of residence life. UNF has adopted Chet’s Creek Elementary School on Hodges Boulevard, east of UNF, as a shelter for university students.

“Our main responsibility is to provide decisions and information in a timely manner,” said Paul Riel, director of housing operations.

With the possibility of another evacuation this year, members of the Crisis Management Team said they are considering how best to approach such threats. The team is a committee comprising faculty and staff selected to review certain threats posed to the university throughout the year.

“Every time there is a storm, we start tracking it over a period of several days,” said Richard Crosby, associate vice president for administration and finance. “We watch and monitor the direction, any increases in wind speed, etc. As a storm gets closer and projections say that it may hit our area, the Crisis Management Team will meet and discuss all necessary preparations.”

Preparations include storing furniture and securing buildings that are under construction. Depending upon the strength of the storm, the university administration is likely to call for an evacuation if the storm is imminent, Crosby said.

“We have provisions for a Category 1, which would not necessarily require an evacuation,” he said. “Every storm is different and handled accordingly. We do consult with a meteorologist, who advises us on what course of action might be the best.”

The crisis team is partly responsible for information backing the decision to evacuate, but the University Police Department is responsible for the actual evacuation on campus.

“Officers are required to report to campus for 12-hour shifts,” said Chief Mark Foxworth. “The campus is then thoroughly searched to ensure that all students and faculty members are safely evacuated. If the president asks that we do, we will barricade the entrances.”

Although the evacuation process may be difficult, the return of students and faculty can be equally challenging for UNF officers.

“After the disaster is over and it is safe to go out, a complete check of the campus is conducted,” Foxworth said. “Officers are ordered to check for flooding, downed electrical lines, broken glass and even snakes or alligators. After the all-clear is given, we ensure that all necessary doors are open so that students and faculty may return to their daily routines.”

E-mail Jake Halkovic at uspinnak@unf.edu.