What to do if a hurricane threatens the Houston?
Hurricane season begins June 1st each year and it really gets serious in August and September. We all remember the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike. So, let’s stay prepared!
If a hurricane threatens the Houston Metropolitan area, watch for hurricane alert notices on TSU Website home page at www.tsu.edu. Notifications will also be sent to your tsu.edu e-mail account.
If TSU closes, notifications will be sent your tsu.edu e-mail account with date and time of closing. Notifications will also be posted on TSU Website home page at www.tsu.edu. We are working with our Emergency Notification System so that you can add home contact information, and we will send instructions on how to do that in before the start of school.
Campus reopen notifications with date and time will be posted on the TSU home website page and broadcasted via local media, including radio, television and newspapers:
| Radio | KTSU 90.9FM/ KTRH 740AM |
| Newspaper | The Houston Chronicle/ The TSU Herald |
| Television | Channel2(KPRC-NBC) /Channel11(KHOU-CBS)/ Channel13(KTRK-ABC) |
| Channe26(FOX)/ Channel39(KIAH) | |
| Online | National Weather Service |
Plan and Take Action
Everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected. Your friends and family may not be together when disaster strikes. How will you find each other? Will you know if your children or parents are safe? You may have to evacuate or be confined to your home. What will you do if water, gas, electricity or phone services are shut off?
Prepare Supplies Kit
Protect yourself and family with a Family_Emegency_Plan
Evacuation
Review the FEMA Evacuation Guidelines to allow for enough time to pack and inform friends and family if you need to leave your home. FOLLOW instructions issued by local officials. Leave immediately if ordered!
What to do as a Faculty & Staff
Each office should do some pre-hurricane planning. All departments:
- Should update phone numbers of all employees.
- Should have on hand a disaster supplies kit.
GET READY:
All faculty and staff will be notified within a 72-hour period of the possible landfall of a hurricane. When an “alert status” is issued, notifications will be posted at www.tsu.edu and employees will receive a notice via email.
The following tasks should be completed:
- Faculty and staff should backup their document and data files on their hard drives. Backup disks must be labeled with
the name of the department, person and room number. - Department heads should assess their areas and determine which files and other materials need to be stored in plastic
containers. - Label containers and identify a central storage area where containers will be stored.
- Information Technology staff will perform the backup of the major systems. The IT department will publish a schedule of
backup activities. - Department heads should update phone numbers of all employees and review procedures with employees on how
they will be notified when to return to work. - Assist customers until a notice that TSU will be closing is issued.
Finalize Plans:
Within 24 hours of landfall of a hurricane, a “Warning Status” will be issued to the University community. Employees will receive notification via email and the information will be posted at the university’s website page.
When offices are informed of a “Warning Status”, they should complete the following tasks:
- Secure all equipment.
- Clear off desks.
- Make sure all files are properly stored. Place containers in a central storage area or on top of desks in case of flooding.
- Continue to assist customers until notice that TSU “will be closing” is issued.
- When departments receive the official notice that the campus will close, department heads should do a final check
of all areas under their supervision to insure that all preparations have been completed. - All electrical connections disconnected. Equipment and materials secured. All doors should be closed.
- Non-essential employees should be released at this time.
- Once “closed notice” is received and inspection is complete, “Secured/No Access” labels should be placed on all office
doors. - Once label is affixed to the door, re-entry is prohibited without authorization from TSU Police Department.
- Departments should notify their respective Vice President of their preparedness.
- Essential personnel not required at this time must be released.
Employees should listen to the news media to determine when they will report back to work and/or check the university’s website at www.tsu.edu for the most up to date information..
