# Presentation: 369427

## Hurricane Ivan 

- September 15th-16th
- Northwest Florida
- Jane DeBellis, University of West Florida

## Hurricanes vs. other natural disasters

- The fortunate aspect of a hurricane today, is typically we have some warning a landfall will occur.
- Because of warnings, you can prepare
- As big a disaster as Ivan was, it was nothing compared to what the University of Hawaii experienced with the flash flood in October of 2004 because we had warning.

## Timeline:

- Floridians began tracking Ivan even as Frances moved inland from its strike on  central Florida on Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

## Slide 4

## University closes

- On Monday the 13th at about noon, the University President announced the University of West Florida would close at the end of the classes on the 13th and would remain closed until further notice.

**Notes:**
UWF was not known for closing early for storms  so employees and students were very grateful to have an additional day off to prepare at home (i.e. board up and evacuate).  This turned out to be a godsend for most. 

## Aftermath

- In the early morning hours of September 16th, Pensacola was temporarily cutoff from the state when the transportation arteries were severed when the   I-10 bridge collapsed and all other roadways were compromised to the east  of Pensacola with washed out approaches and roadways.

## Closed until further notice

- The University’s public radio station stayed on the air through most of the storm and was the first to resume broadcasting.
- The UWF community learned early the status of the campus
- It was still a shock when it was announced that the University was closed for the foreseeable future until further notice.  Further notice in our case meant 3 weeks.

## Lessons	

- Be prepared
- We knew to expect long-term power and phone outages
- We didn’t expect to be away from the campus for 3 weeks
- Find out which media outlet your organization uses to release emergency information
- Have phone numbers and full names of employees and colleagues as you may need these to submit data for payroll
- Have numbers for those you do business with
- Regional librarian and other nearby depository librarians
- Contacts at GPO
- Contacts for other vendors

## Lessons

- Know what to expect from your building
- 1995 Hurricanes Erin and Opal tested the buildings on the main campus and Fort Walton Beach campus
- Know what to expect from routine flooding
- Follow workplace directions regarding electrical equipment
- Accept the limits on what you can realistically prepare for

## Lesson	s

- Find out what you can about your space to reduce unnecessary stress so you can focus on your personal recovery needs
- Realize if your area is not significantly impacted you will likely not be contacted directly about the status.
- Take care of yourself and family.
- You are as important as any building and campus for your organization.

## Image sources:

- Slide 3:
- Florida cleans up after Frances.  (2004, Sep 7).  CNN Weather.  Retrieved April 12, 2005 from http://www.cnn.com/2004/WEATHER/09/06/hurricane.frances/
- Slide 4:
- Stewart, S. R. (2005, Mar 28). Tropical Cyclone Report:  Hurricane Ivan 2 - 26 September 2004.  Retrived April 12, 2005 from http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004ivan.shtml?.
- Slide 6:
- Stewart, S. R. (2005, Mar 28). Tropical Cyclone Report:  Hurricane Ivan 2 - 26 September 2004.  Retrived April 12, 2005 from http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004ivan.shtml?.
- Slide 7:
- Ivan’s fury:  a keepsake of events of September 16, 2004.  (2004, Oct 30).  Pensacola News Journal (72-page commemorative edition on Hurricane Ivan), 1.  Retrieved April 12, 2005 from http://www.print2webcorp.com/news/Pensacola/HurricaneIvan/20041030/p01g.asp.