University hurricane preparations start before the threat begins.

When Hurricane Milton formed off the coast, Shawn Lindsey’s team was ready. It didn’t matter that the storm would ultimately bypass Houston; they had learned hard lessons from Hurricane Harvey’s devastation, and every storm since has only sharpened their preparedness.  

The Associate Vice President of Media Relations, who has spent 16 years at the University of Houston, is no stranger to natural disasters. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey swept through the Houston area, killing 68 residents, and causing more than $158 billion in damage. And, just three months ago, Hurricane Beryl, “more of a wind event,” as Lindsey describes it, left more than 2.7 million without power for days.

“Each hurricane is different,” said Lindsey. You cannot have the same strategy for each. Some are more wind events, others more flooding. You must be prepared.”

How Schools Plan for the Worst Storms

Preparation is key for Scott Orlando, University of Florida’s associate vice president of communications, who has spent almost 30 years readying for hurricanes. His team prepares to hunker down as soon as a storm forms off the coast of Africa.

“We work closely with our division of emergency management,” said Orlando. “As soon as a storm develops, we are keeping close tabs on it. If the cone of uncertainty traces Florida, we act.”

At the University of Florida’s Gainesville campus, Orlando and his team devise a communications plan early on and ensure faculty, staff, students and their parents are properly informed. The number of communications sent is directly related to the size and severity of the storm. 

“We want to be sure every faculty, student and parent is well-informed,” said Orlando “If it is a category three storm, that means at least three communications a day based on what our weather team is saying.”

Keeping Everyone Informed, No Matter What

In Tallahassee, Amy Farnum-Patronis, senior director at Florida State University’s communications office, is part of a virtual meeting that includes more than eighty departments around campus.

“Our team members all have assigned roles during a storm, whether it is updating our alerts.fsu.edu information hub, posting on social media, media relations or drafting executive communications,” Farnum-Patronis said via email. “We have group texts and (Microsoft) Teams channels where we communicate our status — who has evacuated, lost power or has damage to their home. We are fortunate to have a large team and have multiple backups for different roles.”

At all three universities, ensuring students remain updated is a priority. Each school is equipped with a communications platform that provides regular communications — whether automatically sent to a phone or available on an emergency information hub. Florida State uses the SeminoleSAFE app in addition to the institution’s regular emergency notification system, and the University of Houston uses the UH Alert system, which sends emergency messages directly to students’ phones.

Lindsey works closely with her emergency operations team in Houston days in advance. This helps develop the necessary communications plan, right down to the social media posts. 

“We work very closely with them to make sure we have all roles and responsibilities identified and filled long before the storm hits,” said Lindsey. “Our team stays in constant contact through text messages as well. We do regular check-ins – before, during and after the storm – to make sure we are always on. Never fully down.”

The Tech Tools Universities Use to Stay Connected

While Lindsey’s team is dispersed at times, a core group remains at a command center on campus, ready to communicate to, and directly with, students before, during and after a storm. The University of Florida takes this one step further with a newly built emergency facility that resembles a military bunker, where Orlando and his team stay together to ride out the storm.

“It looks like a military base,” said Orlando with a chuckle. “We have radars and screens always tracking. It is something else.”

Across all three universities, technology plays a critical role in staying connected with students and their families. Regular updates, automatic alters and social media posts ensure the flow of information is constant and reliable.

Emergency Alerts and Social Media as Lifelines

At Florida State, students are instructed to check both the emergency alert site as well as the SeminoleSAFE app. Social media also plays a significant role in keeping the FSU community informed. FSU’s Emergency Notification System sends alerts directly to phones and emails, while updates are shared frequently across social media platforms.

“The system incorporates a variety of communication methods,” said Farnum-Patronis. “We have found a lot of success by frequently sharing updates on social media and sending the president’s messages through our parent email newsletter. More informed parents lead to more educated students, and consistent communication helps control rumors and misinformation.”

For Lindsey and her team at the University of Houston, post-storm communication is just as crucial. They closely monitor conditions and encourage students to share information with them directly.

“Students can absolutely interact with us, whether it’s to share information on damage, or to indicate items of need,” said Lindsey. “If a dorm needs water, they can communicate with us and then we make sure they have it.”

Practical Advice for Hurricane Preparedness

Sadly, it is not a question of “if,” but “when” the next hurricane hits. Orlando offers simple but essential advice for anyone facing a hurricane:

1. Plan: “Have a plan and be sure to check it on a regular basis.”
2. Keep it simple: “Do not have a big guide; make it an easy flow chart.”
3. Ease anxieties: “Tell people when you are going to communicate next. The parents are anxious. The students are too.”

With thorough preparation, constant communication and a dedicated team of professionals, students at these universities can rest assured knowing their schools are ready for anything.