{"id":97773,"date":"2019-06-02T15:24:20","date_gmt":"2019-06-02T19:24:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=97773"},"modified":"2022-07-29T12:41:22","modified_gmt":"2022-07-29T16:41:22","slug":"ucf-deemed-stormready-in-time-for-hurricane-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-deemed-stormready-in-time-for-hurricane-season\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Deemed \u201cStormReady\u201d in Time for Hurricane Season"},"content":{"rendered":"
The National Weather Service renewed UCF\u2019s StormReady recognition as hurricane season<\/a>, which runs June 1 through Nov. 30, begins. The recognition will remain in effect through 2023.<\/p>\n StormReady designation encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving hazardous-weather education and preparedness in partnership with the National Weather Service.<\/p>\n The university first earned designation as a StormReady University in 2010 and has maintained its standing ever since. As a result, the plans, technology and warning systems in place helped immensely when Hurricane Matthew (2016) and Hurricane Irma (2017) affected university operations.<\/p>\n \u201cOur No. 1 priority is keeping our community safe,\u201d says Jeffery Morgan, director 色花堂\u2019s Department of Emergency Management. \u201cOur response team trains year-round to ensure UCF is prepared when hazardous weather becomes a threat to Central Florida, and I\u2019m proud of the collaboration of the many departments on campus who are committed to supporting our efforts. I would like to especially recognize our warning and communications coordinator, Joe Thalheimer \u201908<\/strong>, for his work in helping UCF maintain this partnership with the National Weather Service.\u201d<\/p>\n Twenty-one universities and colleges are recognized as StormReady within Florida, and UCF is the largest university nationwide to have the designation.<\/p>\n To qualify as StormReady, a community must:<\/p>\n \u201cWhile no community can be stormproof, UCF is better prepared to safeguard students, faculty and staff from severe weather hazards through enhanced planning, warning dissemination, education and awareness,\u201d says Scott Spratt, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service.<\/p>\n It’s not just the Department of Emergency Management that is working to keep the public safe during hurricane season. Researchers in UCF\u2019s E2i Creative Studio <\/a>developed a simulator to teach users how to better prepare for hurricanes. They shared several tips from their game in the Fall 2018 issues of Pegasus magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here are a few more suggestions to help you stay prepared.<\/p>\n A good emergency kit should help you survive for at least three days. Be sure to include water, food, weather radio, flashlight, first aid kit, batteries, a can opener, cash, a cell phone charger, identification cards and any prescription medications you may need. You should also include necessary personal sanitation items and clothes if you won\u2019t be staying in your home. Watch to learn more about how to build a proper hurricane kit:<\/p>\n\n
Prepare a Kit<\/h2>\n