Safety of students is the top priority
With the 2024 hurricane season expected to be a more active than usual season, the entire coastal region of Texas is on high alert for the possibility of catastrophic storms developing and impacting the region.
Because of this, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) makes sure that the protocols and preparation efforts are in place in an event the campus will be in the path of a hurricane at any point between now and the end of hurricane season, Nov. 30.
“The safety of our campus community is our top priority and that’s why we have a plan in place to get students who might not be able to leave campus to safety in case of an evacuation,” Head of the Emergency Management Team at TAMUK Dr. Shane Creel said. “As a storm ready campus, TAMUK takes weather preparedness very seriously and the National Weather Service program ensures we are well equipped to handle severe weather thanks to our comprehensive planning, educational initiatives, and focus on community awareness.”
As hurricane season continues, the Emergency Management Team will collaborate with the National Weather Service and will closely monitor the Gulf of Mexico for any storms that are in development that look to impact the university and the surrounding area. Despite storms changing courses when they are in development, the Emergency Management Team will not take any chances.
“We will promptly notify the campus community of any emerging threats, but we will also encourage everyone to stay informed through local and national media and trusted sources of weather news,” Creel said.
Despite there not being a strong storm that has caused severe damage to the area since hurricane Harvey in 2017, the preparedness of TAMUK has stayed up to date but could always have room for improvement.
“I feel that going through safety procedures and possibly drills would be helpful for students on campus and those who live in the surrounding community,” junior Jenisah Tejeda said.
After tropical storm Alberto left various areas from Kingsville down to South Padre Island flooded, it can be seen as a sign of what is yet to come. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted “a range of 17 to 25 total named storms. Of those, eight to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes including four to seven major hurricanes.”
To stay up to date with potential storm systems brewing in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, visit the NOAA website at noaa.com and to be on the lookout for any information sent out by the university if a storm is expected to make landfall in the area.