Hurricane Emergency Plan Stages
The Hurricane Emergency Plan is divided into five (5) stages. Within each stage, the specified action steps may or may not be taken, depending primarily on the peculiarities of any given storm as well as the time of day in which the Hurricane Emergency Plan stage occurs. In addition, because of the unpredictable nature of hurricanes, the Plan Coordinator may declare a change of stages at any time. The five (5) stages of the University’s Hurricane Emergency Plan are as follows:
STAGE ONE: Pre-Season Preparation
Formation of a Personal Evacuation Plan.
Instructions for Students:
• Identify ahead of time where they will go if they are told to evacuate. Students should choose several places--a friend's home in another town, a motel or a shelter. Generally, it is safer to evacuate to the north, further inland in case the storm turns just before landfall.
• Keep handy the telephone numbers of these places as well as a road map of the area. Students may need to take alternative or unfamiliar routes if major roads are closed or clogged.
• Identify a method of transportation. Students who have their own transportation are strongly encouraged to take other students with them to assist in the evacuation process.
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for evacuation instructions.
• Take these items when evacuating:
o Disaster Supplies Kit (see below)
o Prescription medications and medical supplies
o Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows
o Bottled water, battery-operated radio and extra batteries, first aid kit, flashlight
o Car keys and maps
Conditions during and after a hurricane will be far from ideal. Therefore, students should prepare for many contingencies. Students should prepare a Disaster Supply Kit in advance of a storm.
STAGE TWO: Threat Assessment
Stage Two begins when a weather pattern is elevated to a Tropical Storm status and poses possible danger to Central Florida. The University may be under Stage Two for several weeks or days before a predicted storm landfall. Under Stage Two:
1. Plan Coordinator convenes the Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Team (HEPT) to assess available factual information and begin implementation of the plan. Information is taken from the National Weather Service, American Red Cross, and Volusia County Office of Emergency Preparedness.
2. Plan Coordinator updates the Emergency Information Line with current University operating status, special instructions, next scheduled update, and notifies the Director of Public Relations.
3. Information is distributed to the Bethune-Cookman University community via email, web page, and posted statements in the Student Union, Wildcat Center and residence halls, if applicable.
4. Residential students receive explicit instructions from Residential Life staff regarding hurricane procedures.
5. Students are advised to begin researching available air, train, and bus schedules and fares if they are not evacuating by car.
6. Students are reminded to notify their parents/family of their personal evacuation plan.
7. Residential students are to alert family members to wait to receive a telephone call from them rather then attempting to get through to clogged telephone lines. Repeated attempts to reach students through their room numbers will likely cause unnecessary frustration for family members.
8. Essential Emergency Personnel Team (EEPT) tests emergency equipment, supplies, inventory food, water, and medical supplies. All University vehicles should be filled with gas and stored in a location accessible to designated Team members who have been cleared by the Transportation Department.
9. Within 4-6 days of predicted landfall, Plan Coordinator directs Essential Emergency Personnel Team to enact General Hurricane Protocol specific to their areas of responsibility.
10. Within 72 hours of predicted landfall, Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Team makes decision whether or not to cancel classes upon the direction of the VP for Academic Affairs and the decision whether to activate the On-Campus or Evacuation Plan for students.
11. Once the decision has been made to cancel classes, the Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Team monitors the ongoing weather conditions and decides whether/when to recommend to the President that the University be officially closed.
STAGE THREE: Classes Cancelled
Upon cancellation of classes, non-residential students are required to leave campus. Non-residential students are not permitted to remain in any campus building for any reason. Residential students may remain in their residence hall until they evacuate or, if applicable, are instructed under the On-Campus Plan to move to the temporary/approved campus emergency shelter. Under Stage Three:
Plan Coordinator updates the Emergency Information Line and announces the time when the cancellation of classes will go into effect, whether On-Campus or Evacuation Plan is enacted, any special instructions, and when the next scheduled update will be communicated.
1. Students are to activate their personal evacuation plans and begin leaving the storm area immediately. Residential students are to lock their room doors upon evacuation.
2. Plan Coordinator places all remaining residential students who are unable to evacuate under "Administrative Instruction" as outlined in the Student Handbook; all students must comply with the oral and written instructions of University personnel by cooperating in a polite and respectful manner.
On-Campus Plan
Bethune-Cookman University opens the University's designated temporary emergency shelter only to residential students who are unable to evacuate and to emergency support personnel and their immediate family. The Performing Arts Center is designated as the official emergency shelter.
Because of limited space, access to meals, and proper sanitation, the temporary emergency shelter is not a citywide designated emergency evacuation center. An authorized list of names will be used to permit strict and limited access to this facility during the hurricane emergency.
All students who choose to leave the emergency shelter (or the residential halls) after the Plan Coordinator has instructed students to remain inside the designated shelter are required to sign a release accepting total responsibility for their personal safety. Once a student signs the release and leaves campus, he/she may not return to campus until the weather emergency has been officially declared ended by University officials.
Under the On-Campus Plan:
1. Plan Coordinator updates the Emergency Information Line with special instructions, and next scheduled update.
a. Plan Coordinator announces On-Campus Plan has been activated.
b. Plan Coordinator announces emergency shelter hours of operation.
2. Plan Coordinator notifies Essential Emergency Personnel Team when to report to campus.
3. Plan Coordinator directs Essential Emergency Personnel Team to order needed supplies and prepare temporary emergency shelter.
4. Hours of operation and location for dining services are announced. Weather conditions may impact hours of service, location and menu.
5. Plan Coordinator orders remaining residents into their residential hall and announces on-campus restrictions and curfews.
6. Residential halls and elevators not on emergency generators are deactivated. Elevators are only to be used by the physically impaired, Essential Emergency Personnel Team, and during medical emergencies.
7. Plan Coordinator directs Essential Emergency Personnel Team to move to assigned campus locations.
8. For the duration of the emergency, Public Relations updates the Emergency Information Lines with current University operating status, special instructions, and next scheduled update.
Evacuation Plan
When a hurricane shows signs of intensifying to a catastrophic level, residential students who are unable to evacuate on their own are transported to a designated American Red Cross shelter in the Daytona Beach area. Activation of the University’s Evacuation Plan signals imminent weather-related danger.
Remaining students who are unable to evacuate on their own may only take to the designated Red Cross shelter minimal personal belongings (toiletries, towel, medications, and a single change of clothing. The student should be able to hold all items on their laps. NO SUITCASES are allowed. All personal belongings must be in a backpack or small duffle/gym bag.
Under the Evacuation plan
1. Plan Coordinator updates the Emergency Information Line with special instructions and included information about when the next update will be communicated. a. Plan Coordinator notifies Director of Public Relations. b. Plan Coordinator announces Evacuation Plan has been activated. c. Plan Coordinator announces the location of the off-campus emergency shelter and contact telephone number. d. Plan Coordinator announces evacuation departure time and designated loading area. e. Plan Coordinator orders remaining residential students to vacate, lock their room doors, and report to the designated loading area. 2. The Deans of Men and Women and Campus Security check all buildings for compliance of the evacuation plan. STAGE FOUR: University Closure
1. Plan Coordinator updates the Emergency Information Lines announcing emergency closure, special instructions, and next scheduled update. Plan Coordinator notifies Director of Public Relations.
2. Plan Coordinator directs Campus Security to lock campus buildings. All students, faculty, and staff must vacate.
3. Campus Security officers will check all buildings for compliance with this requirement. All interior doors are locked, exterior doors are chained and locked, if possible, and laminated signs are posted on buildings announcing University closure and official "keep out/trespass warning" notices.
4. With the exception of the Essential Emergency Personnel Team no one is permitted on-campus, in the temporary emergency shelter or to return to Bethune-Cookman University's campus until the University has been deemed safe. Once the storm has passed and if the campus is accessible, Physical Plant and Campus Security personnel will inspect all buildings, grounds, and utilities for damages and report to the Plan Coordinator any unsafe campus conditions. Emergency repairs are made if practical.
Under Stage Five:
1. Plan Coordinator communicates safety report to Essential Emergency Personnel Team.
2. Plan Coordinator communicates available factual information from the City of Daytona Beach’s Office of Emergency Preparedness, including information about flooding, road closures, curfews, etc.
3. Essential Emergency Personnel Team assesses all available factual information and either proposes a reopening date for University operations or issues additional emergency instructions.
4. If possible, Plan Coordinator updates the Emergency Information Line with current University operating status, special instructions, and next scheduled update.
5. If possible, Plan Coordinator contacts Director of Public Relations or, alternately local media with current University operating status.
University is deemed as safe:
1. On-Campus Plan
a. Plan Coordinator closes temporary emergency shelter. Those who sought shelter are released from Administrative Instruction orders and are released under their own accord. Students are reminded to contact their parents/family.
b. Plan Coordinator releases Essential Emergency Personnel Team from duty.
c. Plan Coordinator announces official end of emergency.
2. Evacuation Plan
a. Plan Coordinator announces departure time for return to campus and designated loading area for students
b. Upon arrival on campus from Red Cross shelter, students are released under their own accord from Administrative Instruction orders. Students are reminded to contact their parents/family.
c. Plan Coordinator releases Essential Emergency Personnel Team from duty.
d. Plan Coordinator announces official end of emergency.
University is deemed unsafe:
1. On-Campus Plan (and evacuation is possible)
a. Plan Coordinator issues additional special instructions including those of the Mayor of Daytona Beach to shelter inhabitants.
b. If aftermath evacuation is possible and if technological means are available then Essential Emergency Personnel Team assists students in making appropriate arrangements from temporary emergency shelter to their permanent home.
c. If City of Daytona Beach declares roads open, all students who choose to leave the emergency shelter (or the residence halls) are required to sign a release accepting total responsibility for their personal safety. Once a student signs the release and leaves campus, he/she may not return until the University has been officially reopened.
2. On-Campus Plan (Evacuation not possible or timeframe is too long)
a. Plan Coordinator directs an inventory of remaining food supplies and orders meal and water rationing if necessary.
b. Plan Coordinator directs an assessment of sanitation in temporary emergency shelter(s) and orders rationing of water and sewerage usage if necessary.
c. Once federal, state, and/or local rescue arrives, all shelter inhabitants are released under their own cognizance.
3. Evacuation Plan
Students and emergency personnel are transported to the nearest airport, train or bus station so that they may make appropriate arrangements for travel. All expenses incurred are the individual's responsibility.
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