Hurricane Preparedness

One of the few disadvantages of being an island university on the Texas Gulf Coast is the possibility of a hurricane disrupting normal summer/fall activities. Recognizing that it's not if but when a hurricane will threaten campus, A&M-Corpus Christi has developed a Hurricane Defense Plan that covers responsibilities and courses of action
for students and faculty and staff throughout hurricane season (June 1-November 30).

Below are some important highlights from the Hurricane Defense Plan:

Beginning of Hurricane Season, June 1

Safety Coordinator announces beginning of hurricane season and requests all departments review Hurricane Defense Plan and departmental plan.

Physical Plant commences pre-season preparations:

• Check roofs of buildings for loose debris; insure drain heads are cleared.
• Inspect custodial supplies for adequate materials (mops, buckets, squeegees, batteries, and battery-powered lights, etc.).
• Ensure adequate fuel (gasoline and diesel) on hand for operation of emergency generators and vehicles following storm.
• Inventory and replenish emergency supplies: water, canned food rations, masking tape, duct tape, safety tape, electrical tape, etc.
• Ensure adequate supply of sandbags.

Beginning of Fall Semester

• Distribute Hurricane Defense Plan to new students, faculty and staff.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Conditions

Note:  Due to the unpredictable nature of a Hurricane, it is extremely difficult to base an action on the storm’s speed and course. Response actions indicated in this plan are based on the City of Corpus Christi’s Emergency Operations Center recommendations as well as Corpus Christi being located within the National Hurricane Center’s “Cone of Probability”. National Hurricane Center forecast models have an inherent error of 300 miles on either side of the track for the 72 hour forecast period, 200 miles for the 48 hour forecast track and 100 miles for the 24 hour forecast period. The action guidelines listed below may be adjusted accordingly as more information on the storm’s track becomes available to the Administrative/ Decision Team.

When the Corpus Christi area is located within the National Hurricane Center’s “Cone of Probability” the following actions should be considered.

• The President’s Office tells the Administrative/Decision Team to communicate to their units that the campus is monitoring a storm. Building contacts should be convened by their appropriate vice-president.
• The Provost will contact the building contacts for Bay Hall, Center for the Arts, Center for Instruction, Center for the Sciences, Classroom East, Conrad Blucher Institute, the Early Childhood Development Center, Faculty Center, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Performing Arts Center, the Science & Technology Building, Student Services Center, Modular 1 and the Carlos Truan Natural Resources Center.
• The Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration will contact the building contacts for Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi Hall, Classroom West, Driftwood/Sandpiper, Physical Plant Building 1 & 2, Procurement Building, the University Services Center, and University Center.
• The Vice President for Student Affairs will contact Camden Miramar management and the building contacts for the Field House, University Counseling Center, University Health Center, University Pool and Glasscock Wellness Center.
• All units of the campus should review the Hurricane/Tropical Storm Defense Plan and their particular duties at this time.
• Campus-wide broadcast should occur informing campus of Hurricane/Tropical Storm in the Caribbean.

When the Hurricane is predicted to make land fall within 72 hours of the Corpus Christi area.

• President's office places the Administrative/Decision Team on alert status and notifies the Chancellor.
• Provost's Office notifies the Corpus Christi Independent School District to the alert status.
• Office of the Executive Vice President notifies the Art Museum of South Texas, Federal and State Agencies and Texas Building and Procurement Commission to the alert status.
• President holds a strategy meeting to prepare the campus to activate the Hurricane/Tropical Storm Defense Plan.
• Physical Plant on alert to make preparations to shutter/sand bag University Buildings.
• Library and Art Museum should have assistance in securing what they consider to be their priority collections at this stage.
• Backup of student records, library catalog, alumni records, and other relevant data should occur at this stage.
• Emergency Hotline Number should be released at this time.

When the City of Corpus Christi Emergency Management authorities order the “High Profile Vehicles” (RV’s boats, etc) to evacuate areas prone to flooding (ex. Padre Island) the following items shall be considered.

• President's Office notifies Administrative/Decision Team of decision to close the campus.
• Vice Presidents notify respective area of responsibility of the decision to close the campus.
• All University-related functions are to be canceled.
• Provost notifies Deans to dismiss class.
• Vice President of Student Affairs notifies students and begins evacuation of resident halls.
• All resident students are evacuated.
• Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications notifies the media of the campus closure and evacuation.
• Physical Plant Director initiates the University shutdown procedures
• Coordinate evacuation procedures with the Federal and State Agencies on campus.
• All faculty, staff and departments shutdown offices and evacuate (8 hr. limit).
• Physical plant personnel follow hurricane procedures.
• University Police personnel follow hurricane procedures.

Final Campus Shutdown.

• Central Plant is shut down.
• Physical Plant fuels and stores all vehicles.
• Security verifies that all personnel have left the campus and buildings are locked.
• Campus is officially evacuated.

Immediately after the Storm

President Killebrew or a designee contacts the Assessment team to meet on campus or at a designated site. Team to evaluate damage and develop immediate response plans.

• Administrative Team: Completes assessment of damage to the campus' physical plant and auxiliary enterprises. Establishes communication with federal/state assistance offices.

Team notifies the following:

a.	Director, Central Procurement (512) 463-6363 and Texas Building and Procurement Commission (512)  463-3600 – Representative and information.
b.	State Department of Emergency Management (512) 424-2138 or Department of Public Safety, Regional Liaison Officer (361) 698-5500.

• Decision Team: Develops and carries out plan to resume university operations.
• Safety Team: Completes immediate survey of campus to identify and isolate safety hazards (biological, electrical, structural, gas leaks, etc.)
• Communication Team: Establishes communication networks and informs the campus community, media and public of developments. Assistant Vice President for Marketng and Communications handles immediate media inquiries. Director of Telecommunications establishes emergency communications, assesses damage to telecommunications systems, initiates repair procedures. Assistant Vice President for Technology establishes emergency computing stations, assesses damage to computing services, initiates repair procedures.
• Security Team: Secures campus from unauthorized access and looting.
• Blucher Team: Assesses damages to tidal system networks, carries out plan to resume services.

Assessment teams call additional personnel as needed to resume University operations.

Remaining personnel wait to report to campus upon notification by immediate supervisor or through an announcement on the local media services.

• Faculty and staff listen to local radio/TV stations for information. Note: KEYS (AM 1440), KZFM (95.5 FM), KNCN (101.3 FM) are the primary Emergency Alert System stations for the Corpus Christi area, NOAA Weather Radio (Corpus Christi 162.44 MHZ).
• For information about campus status during and following the storm, call the Faculty/Staff Information Hotline: 1-361-825-9999 or the Toll Free Number 888-234-4005 or the University Police: 1-361-825-4444.

Department Heads, through normal administrative channels, will initiate surveys of department status.

If you are not listed as an Assessment Team Member do not return to Campus until contacted by an Assessment Team member or your supervisor.

---

Other Sources of Information

National Hurricane Center, NOAA
WeatherUnderground Tropical Weather Information
CSU Tropical Meteorology Project

Updated 07-08-2008 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412 Contact: pioweb@falcon.tamucc.edu