Hurricane Season begins May 1, 2009 ! University administrators are asking that everyone be prepared on both a personal and business level. Please log on to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety’s Web site at
http://www.utpa.edu/hurricane/plan , which outlines the responsibilities and procedures to secure your work area at the University. This site also provides valuable information on how to protect you and your family, home and personal belongings.
If classes need to be cancelled or the campus needs to be shut down, you will receive an official notification from the President’s Office or the Office of University Relations via e-mail, Bronc Notes and through the following Web sites – UTPA Police (www.utpa.edu/police), the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (http://ehs.utpa.edu) and UTPA’s main Web site (www.utpa.edu). For those who do not have access to the Internet, the Safe Hurricane Preparedness Hotline (956/292-7233) will be available to provide you with the latest information.
You should also stay tuned to local television and radio stations and other media sources for current updates. Staff members should also make sure that your supervisors have correct contact information in the event they need to communicate with you.
As always, the goal of UTPA and its Crisis Management Team is to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff in the event of an emergency and we are ready to take action should a hurricane or natural disaster occur. It is also important for everyone to use their best judgment to insure the safety of themselves and their families when conditions are unsafe. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Dr. Richard Costello, director of Environmental Health and Safety, at 956/381-3690.
