The Atlantic hurricane season is officially from June 1 and through November 30. Each year, Facilities/Construction Management prepares with reviews of the department plans and training. The Disaster Response Plan is updated annually and lessons learned are always conducted following events to capture lessons learned that can be rolled up into the revised plan, or to make necessary changes to the departmental policies and procedures.
F/CM has a checklist that is maintained that breaks down the activities and preparations needed as early as the 72-hour mark. The current plan for the upcoming hurricane season is included in the overall UH Emergency Management Planwith oversight by the UH Office of Emergency Management.
It spells out specific roles and responsibilities that Facilities/Construction Management has in the event of tropical weather with actions needing to be performed. F/CM Ride-Out team members receive specific FEMA training and ride-out team training as part of their membership on the team.
All F/CM employees are considered key and essential. They have to stay in constant contact with their supervisors to ensure they have any specific reporting instructions.
Prior Disaster Plans have always proved successful, accounting for the unexpected unique challenges that occur. assistant Vice President Jeff Benjamin explains, “With Harvey, no one anticipated that the storm conditions would persist over the area for four days, tropical events typically last less than 24 hours before the conditions pass. We had not anticipated the amount of flooding we experienced both around campus and the region making response efforts difficult due to closed roadways and interstates. We have improved on our planning for future events taking these experiences into account.”
Facilities/Construction Management partners with the UH Office of Emergency Management in order to stay informed.
In order to stay informed, ready and prepared throughout the hurricane season.
Be Prepared for Hurricane Season at UH
UH Alert Emergency Notifications