University continues to monitor severe weather associated with Hurricane Sandy

The University’s Emergency Preparedness Committee is closely monitoring (in coordination with the NWS) and preparing for the weather, and will continue to do so over the next several days. The University’s Physical Plant employees, along with other staff, have made full storm preparations and taken steps to ensure continuity should power outages occur due to weather. This includes preparing sufficient backup for power and heat via generators and the University’s steam plant. A more extensive list of planning and preparations made by University staff is listed at the end of this message.

As always, campus community members should be aware and take precautions when severe weather is in the area. If at anytime a student, faculty member, or staff encounters weather conditions that could affect their safety when traveling to/from the University, they should make a personal decision about their own travel. If this occurs, students and faculty should work with each other to make alternate arrangements. Also, any staff member who needs to adjust his or her work schedule due to an individual situation should discuss the matter with his/her supervisor.

For tracking information from the National Weather Service, visit weather.gov. For emergency assistance on campus, call 711 from any campus phone, or 443-2224; off campus or from a cell phone, call 911.

The following planning and preparations have been made by University staff:

• Emergency generators have been tested and fueled; portable generators are ready to be put in place where needed;
• Routine emergency response tools and equipment are being moved to Main Campus to be readily accessible if needed;
• DPS communications and patrol staffs are prepared for double shifts if needed;
• Electricians, groundskeepers, laborers, and custodians are all on standby;
• Physical Plant and Food Services vehicles are fully fueled and ready to be used as needed;
• Drains have been checked and cleaned, and main campus streets have been swept;
• Fuel vendor is on standby for additional fuel delivery if needed;
• Physical Plant staff are monitoring campus and checking for open windows;
• DPS and Energy Systems and Sustainability Management staff are monitoring alarms and verifying buildings that are on electronic locking systems are secured if there is a power outage;
• Steam Station generators are ready for use and the plant will be running if needed, and additional Steam Station pumps are on standby and on site if needed;
• Campus Planning, Design and Construction staff are contacting contractors at the Dineen Hall and Huntington Hall project sites to prepare the sites against potential damage;
• Food Services has ample supplies of food and water on site, and has a vendor on standby for more if needed;
• Risk Management staff has contacted staff at Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services regarding plans to assist off-campus students if there is a power outage;
• Lubin House in NYC has reported that no major impact is expected at its facilities, and they are not in the NYC evacuation zone; They have contractor services on standby and staff have cleared drains and removed equipment from the roof and patio;
• Greenberg House in Washington, D.C. reports there are no evacuations ordered in the area; Maxwell International Relations classes and alumni events for Monday have been canceled; A building facility repair contractor is on standby if needed.