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Cars evacuating during a hurricane. [Adobe Stock\/FAMUAN]<\/p>\n
Students at Florida A&M University are being warned to prepare for extreme weather that could interfere with classes,\u00a0housing\u00a0and communication as Florida approaches the peak of hurricane season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Office of Emergency Management at FAMU advises\u00a0students,\u00a0particularly those who are new to the state or living away from home for the first time to take hurricane preparedness seriously. The emergency team\u00a0monitors\u00a0tropical weather weeks in advance and initiates response plans within five days of\u00a0a possible impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a potential tropical storm or hurricane is expected to\u00a0impact\u00a0the main campus or any satellite location within a five-day period, we begin protective measures to ensure infrastructure is secured, stakeholders are notified, and shelter operations are set up if needed,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Pedro Rebolledo, FAMU emergency management coordinator.\u00a0<\/p>\n
FAMU\u2019s main hurricane shelter is the Al Lawson Center, which opens for students unable to evacuate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur department ensures protective measures are in progress, makes decisions regarding shelter operations and communicates updates through FAMU Alert and other systems,\u201d Rebolledo said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Students who lose access to power or\u00a0the internet\u00a0during a storm should rely on alternative communication tools.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing prepared with alternative power and communication methods is key,\u201d Rebolledo said. \u201cAbove all, follow instructions from faculty, staff and emergency officials.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Leon County 2024-25 Disaster Survival Guide recommends that all residents sign up for Alert Leon notifications, keep emergency contact numbers written down and follow local evacuation orders when issued.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hurricanes often cause widespread power outages and limit access to technology. Rebolledo\u00a0advised students to\u00a0keep\u00a0a\u00a0weather\u00a0radio, portable\u00a0chargers\u00a0and flashlights with extra batteries in their dorms or apartments.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zion Fleming, a FAMU\u00a0alumnus, learned firsthand how important those items are.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGet a backup battery for your phone and a grill,\u201d he said. \u201cYou still have to eat if you lose power.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fleming added that being prepared can turn a stressful time into a moment of connection. \u201cA little thing like a grill can really bring people together,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For students unfamiliar with Florida\u2019s weather patterns, awareness is key. Third-year public relations major\u00a0Jullion\u00a0Griffin encouraged new students to take time to research and plan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy advice for an out-of-state student would be to research,\u201d Griffin said. \u201cKnow where\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0going.\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0take warnings lightly. Ask questions and\u00a0execute, because\u00a0hurricanes are serious.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He added that new residents should learn about their area\u2019s flood zones and\u00a0identify\u00a0safe shelter locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
FAMU offers\u00a0assistance\u00a0for students who lose housing or experience property damage after severe weather.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur university can guide students who experience damage and connect them with local, state and federal resources,\u201d Rebolledo said. \u201cAdditionally, mental health outreach and support for our students is also available.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Students in need of help after a storm can reach out to the Dean of Students Office, Counseling Services or the FAMU Cares portal for emergency resources and emotional support.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to the Leon County Disaster Survival Guide, students should:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Keep at least three days\u2019 worth of nonperishable food and water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Store important documents in waterproof containers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plan multiple evacuation routes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sign up for FAMU Alert and Alert Leon notifications.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hurricane\u00a0season runs through Nov. 30, but experts stress that preparation should happen long before a storm hits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Rebolledo put it, \u201cPreparedness is everyone\u2019s responsibility, and the more you do now, the safer you\u2019ll be later.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cars evacuating during a hurricane. [Adobe Stock\/FAMUAN] Students at Florida A&M University are being warned to prepare for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":56237,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[232,234,233],"class_list":["post-56236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee-headlines","tag-tallahassee-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}