Dear UCF Faculty and Staff:
As the State of Florida and UCF prepare for the potential impact of Hurricane Ian this week, please be reminded that it is the responsibility of each Department to take protective actions in their own laboratories to safeguard people, research, labs, and buildings. Please do your part in assisting UCF to prepare for this hurricane now so that later you are not faced with an emergency.
- All experiments that cannot be easily terminated or will need to be monitored during the storm should be postponed now, and ongoing experiments involving biological materials, radioactive agents and hazardous chemicals should be suspended until the storm has passed and the University is no longer in a state of emergency.
- No one is allowed on campus without permission from Joe Thalheimer, UCF’s director of emergency management. If there is some urgent need, you have to get Joe’s permission.
- If UCF has suspended normal operations, personnel should not stay in the laboratory to ride out the storm.
- The checklist “Laboratory and Research Areas Tropical Weather/Hurricane Preparation” should be utilized to identify suggested tasks and assign responsibilities for preparing laboratory areas. (Not all items are appropriate for all areas.). The checklist can be found here: https://ehs.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/08/Laboratory-Safety-Manual-2018.pdf
- When UCF suspends normal operations and postpones operations in the laboratory, secure equipment, hazardous materials, and complete the checklist.
- Departments and researchers should add actions specific to their individual laboratories if needed. This checklist should be completed as a part of the Departmental Tropical Weather Response and Recovery Plan. Please also check with your Department Chair or Director to make sure you understand what equipment is on back-up power.
- In the event that UCF is impacted by the storm, normal services (i.e. – waste pickups, inspections, deliveries, etc.) may be delayed.
If you need assistance or have questions, please feel free to contact EHS at 407-823-6300 or ehs@ucf.edu.
Thank you for all of your individual assistance in ensuring that UCF is well prepared to face this hurricane.
Links you may find helpful:
- UCF is sharing information related to Hurricane Ian here: https://www.ucf.edu/hurricane/.
- Student Preparedness Checklist for Tropical Weather and Hurricanes (How to Prepare for Hurricane Season | University of Central Florida News (ucf.edu)
- Emergency Supply List (https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/hurricane-supply-checklist/)
- Pet Plan (https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/resources/disaster-prep-pet-emergency-checklist.pdf)
- http://emergency.ucf.edu/Plans/EMP.pdf
Severe Weather Updates
- National Hurricane Center (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/)
