What to do in the days before Hurricane Irma arrives

  • Turn on your TV/radio and check your city/county/university websites frequently in order to get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions. UCF and UCF Police will also be updating their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
  • Charge your cell phone and any other important electronics now so you will have a full battery in case you lose power.
  • Gather your hurricane supplies and make sure they are easily accessible.
  • Ensure items outside your home or apartment are put away or tied down.
  • Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection to windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” exterior grade or marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install.

    • What to do when a hurricane is 6 hours from arriving

  • If you’re not in an area that is recommended for evacuation, plan to stay at home or where you are and let friends and family know where you are.
  • Close storm shutters, and stay away from windows. Flying glass from broken windows could injure you.
  • Turn your refrigerator or freezer to the coldest setting and open only when necessary. If you lose power, food will last longer. Keep a thermometer in the refrigerator to be able to check the food temperature when the power is restored.
  • Turn on your TV/radio and check your city/county/university website frequently in order to get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions. UCF and UCF Police will also be updating their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

    • Hurricane Watch

    Hurricane watch = conditions possible within the next 48 hrs.

    Steps to take:

  • Review your evacuation route(s) and listen to local officials.
  • Review the items in your disaster supply kit and add items to meet the household needs for children, parents, individuals with disabilities or other access and functional needs or pets.

    • Hurricane Warning

    Hurricane warning = conditions are expected within 36 hrs.

    Steps to take:

  • Follow evacuation orders from local officials, if given.
  • Check-in with family and friends by texting or using social media.
  • Follow the hurricane timeline preparedness checklist, depending on when the storm is anticipated to hit and the impact that is projected for your location.

    • Basic Preparedness Tips

  • Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the local hurricane evacuation route(s) to take and have a plan for where you can stay. Review the UCF website, and UCF and UCF Police social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter for frequent updates.
  • Put together a go-bag: disaster supply kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, medications, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate.
  • If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to shelter-in-place, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and access to clean water for several days. You may not be able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads.
  • Make a family emergency communication plan.
  • UCF Alert is a text and email alerting systems for emergency notifications. All students, faculty and staff are automatically enrolled in UCF Alert. To update contact information, login in to your myUCF account at www.my.ucf.edu. Click on Student or Employee Self Service on the left-hand side. Under Personal Information, click on UCF Alert. Fill in the required information and click save. UCF students and employees also may add secondary email accounts.

    • Social Media Resources

  • Facebook.com/UCF
  • Facebook.com/UCFPolice
  • Twitter.com/UCF
  • Twitter.com/UCFPolice