UPDATE: Mason prepares for Hurricane Sandy

(Photo courtesy of National Hurricane Center)

UPDATE: Classes and administrative offices at Mason will be closed tomorrow and Tuesday morning because of Hurricane Sandy. "A decision on the operating status for Tuesday afternoon will be available by 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday," according to an email sent through Mason Alert. Here is the e-mail in its entirety:

"On Monday October 29, 2012, classes are canceled and administrative offices are closed across all campuses of George Mason University through Tuesday at noon.  A decision on the operating status for Tuesday afternoon will be available by 8:00am on Tuesday, October 30th.

The university will provide updates on Mason’s operating status via Mason Alert as the situation warrants. Please visit http://www.gmu.edu, call 703-993-1000, and read Mason Alerts for the latest information. 

We urge all members of the Mason community to consider the following ways to prepare for the potential impact of this storm:

Monitor weather and news channels (television or radio) for up to date information.
    
Consider keeping non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, and medications on hand in the event of a power outage or regional flooding that prevents travel.
Allow additional travel time to and from campus and plan activities accordingly.
Have a contact plan with family and friends in advance, for communication and follow-up.

For more information on how to prepare and respond to severe weather and regional emergencies refer to the following guidance:

Tornado and Severe Weather Preparation Guide:http://ehs.gmu.edu/guides/TornadoSevereWeatherGuide.pdf

Regional Emergency Preparation Guide:http://ehs.gmu.edu/guides/RegionalEmergencyPreparation.pdf "

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According to an alert sent by the university on Oct. 26, current forecasts project that Hurricane Sandy will be in the Washington D.C. area on Sunday, Oct. 28 through Tuesday, Oct. 30.

David Farris, director of emergency preparedness and response for the university, met with representatives from different branches of the university, and planned how best to prepare for the storm. Farris said the purpose of these meetings were to better coordinate between different divisions, such as Mason Dining, facilities and Mason Athletics.

“I think we can say Mason is as prepared as it can be,” said Farris.

Currently, there are backup generators for all buildings to keep emergency systems running, such as fire alarms and handicap doors. In the case of a power outage, most buildings, including dorms, will not have enough power to operate at full capacity. 

“We’re most concerned about water and flooding,” said Farris.

In preparation for the hurricane, Mason Facilities has been working to reduce the risk of flooding, by draining Mason Pond to contain more runoff, clearing gutters and improving storm water outflow.

According to the Oct. 26 university alert, “there is the potential for localized flooding from heavy rainfall, wind damage and power outages.”

Farris said that the different university departments will remain in constant contact throughout the weekend, making changes to preparations with any new information.

“Our emergency operations group is really effective at coming up with solutions,” said Farris.  

Nick Stasiak, a freshman Mason student who manages his own weather forecasting system, has been monitoring Hurricane Sandy.

“There is an upper level jet stream pulling the hurricane up the coast right now,” Stasiak wrote in an electronic message. “To make matters worse, there is high pressure coming from Canada blocking the storm. This is why hurricane Sandy isn’t doing the usual die off or spin away.”

Stasiak predicts that the hurricane will take one of two paths.

“The hurricane will either make landfall in [Virginia] on Tuesday morning or landfall in [New York] on Wednesday morning,” said Stasiak. “Either way, we will be feeling the effects. We are looking  for? the potential of? anywhere between 3-6 inches of rain, major coastal flooding and destructive winds.”

The university advises students and faculty to take the following preparations prior to the Sandy’s arrival:

• Monitor weather and news channels (television or radio) for up to date information


• Consider keeping non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, and medications on hand in the event of a power outage or regional flooding that prevents travel


• Allow additional travel time to and from campus and plan activities accordingly


• Have a contact plan with family and friends in advance, for communication and follow-up

As of Oct. 26, the university plans on maintaining current class schedules for Monday Oct. 29.

Stay with Connect2Mason for any updates regarding Hurricane Sandy and its effect on the Mason community.