Tropical Storm Warning – Tropical storm force winds are forecasted in the Pensacola area by the National Hurricane Center within the next 24 hours along with possible heavy rains. The university will monitor the situation and heed advice from the local Emergency Management Operations Center.
Hurricane Watch – This means that a hurricane has been reported or is forecasted to form and is considered a possible danger to this area within 36 hours. The campus remains open and will continue to function normally until further notice.
Hurricane Warning – When the storm
is in the Gulf and there is an increased possibility of the storm making
land fall at or near Pensacola within 24 hours.
UWF shall initiate hurricane preparation procedures when a hurricane
or tropical storm enters the Gulf of Mexico. Once the National Hurricane
Center issues a hurricane warning for the Pensacola area, the university
president shall issue information regarding the continued operation
of the university or cancellation of classes. Employees are advised
to await official word from the University before closing offices and
evacuating campus.
University Closing - When the hurricane
conditions are expected in the Pensacola area, early decisions will be
made to cancel classes or close the university. All classes and campus
activities scheduled for the closing dates will be canceled. Employees
should complete emergency preparation in their offices and check-in with
their supervisors before leaving work.
Students living on campus are permitted to go home if they can do so safely.
Students who leave campus are requested to provide the housing staff with
contact information and are encouraged to notify their parents of their plans.
Students who are unable to leave campus will be permitted to remain in their
residence halls and apartments.
Shelter Evacuation - In the event of a direct
landfall by the storm, students may be required to evacuate to the shelter
located in the University Commons (Building 22). This shelter will be staffed
by university personnel, and the facility is supported by a back-up generator.
Food and basic first aid will be provided in the shelter. A decision regarding
student evacuation to the shelter will be made as the storm progresses.
Should the shelter be activated, incoming calls for information can be
made to 1-866-UWF-NEWS.
When hurricane conditions are expected in the Pensacola area, the decision
may be made to evacuate students to the hurricane shelter located in the
University Commons (Building 22). This means that all residents remaining
on campus (except those in Pace and Martin Hall) will be required to move
immediately to the shelter for the remainder of the storm. Pace and Martin
Hall residents may not be required to evacuate and should check with housing
staff in their buildings before leaving. Once students check into the shelter,
they will not be permitted to leave until after the storm has passed. Students
are requested not to attempt to travel to off-campus destinations.
Students should bring bedding, several changes of clothes, personal hygiene
items, flashlights, books, snacks and any necessary medication to the shelter.
The shelter will provide basic food and first aid services, and is equipped
with a back-up generator. Students should notify their parents that they
are moving to the shelter and provide their parents with the shelter phone
number for emergency contact. That number is 1-866-UWF-NEWS. Classes will
remain closed until further notice.
Notification regarding the storm and status of the campus will continually
be available through WUWF-FM 88.1 and also on the WUWF
Web page.
Hurricane Shelter Number Message - 1-866-UWF-NEWS (893-6397). When this number
is activated, a verbal update using the appropriate above information will
be placed on the recording. In addition, the phone would be forwarded to
the following numbers and contain the following information:
When the shelter is not activated, the phone will forward to the university
information number and state: “At this point, the shelter has not
been activated for the university and students are permitted to stay in their
rooms. Please press (4) if you wish to be connected to the University Information
Center for further information or assistance.”
Once the shelter has been activated, calls should be forwarded to (1)
x2405 (front desk), (2) x2010 (back office) and then (3) x7300 (managers
office), in that order. The recorded message should contain the above information
and: “If you wish to be connected to the University Shelter at
this time, please press (1) and you will be forwarded to the next available
staff member.”
UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES
Due to the number of resident students needing shelter, the university does not encourage employees and their families to use our facilities as shelter space. However, the families of university employees who are required to work may stay on campus during the storm.
In Escambia County, Santa Rosa County and Okaloosa County, various facilites have been designated as Emergency Shelters. Persons seeking shelter, not specifically included in the essential service employees categories listed above, should report to one of the designated County Shelters. As a public facility, university buildings are subject to being used as emergency shelters by the American Red Cross and Escambia County Emergency Management in times of extreme need. Therefore, please adhere to the request to secure your office areas and remove any personal belongings of value. The university has designated certain buildings to be used as public shelters, shelters for essential service employees, and those in which occupancy is not permitted.
Escambia
County Shelter List
Santa
Rosa County Shelter List
Okaloosa
County Shelter List