Hermine, Otto and Fiona will not be welcomed names in Florida this year. These names will be used to classify tropical storms and hurricanes in the 2010 season which kicked off Tuesday.
According to the National Hurricane Center, a hurricane is a low-pressure system that is accompanied by thunderstorms. Conditions can combine to produce violent winds, waves, torrential rains and floods.
During these months, the torrid rain, flashes of lightning and constant watching of tropical activity in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean will become daily occurrences.
“As we approach the start of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, we want all residents and visitors (including students) to ensure they have a disaster plan should our state be impacted by a storm,” said Lauren McKeague, who serves as the external affairs deputy officer for the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
If Central Florida were threatened by a hurricane, students and faculty would be notified.
The UCF Office of Emergency Management’s website states that there are five immediate ways that students and faculty will be notified of an emergency situation such as a hurricane.
One of those ways will be the UCF home page, which would become an emergency home page that will provide updates, instructions and information for the UCF community
Other ways include four outdoor sirens around campus which will produce a tone followed by a voice message, a UCF ALERT text message that will provide instructions about the emergency, an emergency e-mail sent to Knights e-mail accounts and the distribution of weather radios by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Students must opt in to receive the text messages and e-mails through MyUCF. An emergency contact can also be added to receive important information in the event of a hurricane or emergency.
About 10,000 students live on campus and in UCF affiliated housing as of fall 2009, according to the Institutional Research’s fact book.
Those students living on-campus would receive information from their resident assistants if the campus were in imminent danger.
Students living on the main campus and the Rosen campus would be required to leave their residences and report to a designated shelters, according to the Department of Housing and Residence Life information sheet.
A major hurricane or threat to the area could also be grounds for campus closing.
“If a serious storm or hurricane threatens our region, the governor and I have the authority to cancel classes or close campuses,” President John Hitt said in a message from the Office of Emergency Management.
In August 2006, tropical storm Ernesto threatened the Central Florida area and forced UCF officials to close the campus for a day.
McKeague also recommends that students prepare a disaster supply kit with items they may already have or with inexpensive items.
These items include water, non-perishable food, a first-aid kit, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight and extra batteries.
On Tuesday, the Florida Division of Emergency Management released results from the 2010 Hurricane Preparedness Survey and found that, “In general, Florida residents said they are well-prepared for the aftermath of a hurricane or other disaster. People were most likely to say they have emergency lighting, important papers, prescription medicines, battery-powered radios and adequate gasoline in their cars. They were less likely to say they have sufficient water and ice currently on hand.”
In 2009, nine named storms formed, including three hurricanes, two of which were major hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher, according to NOAA.
UCF Hurricane Resources recommends students check the UCF News & Information website, http://news.ucf.edu.
The updates will provide information on campus closings, shelters and any damage, according to the Hurricane Resources and Information page.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially began Tuesday and ends Nov. 31.
For more information and steps you can follow to prepare for this hurricane season, you can visit www.floridadisaster.org.