University of Florida
Everglades Research and
Education Center
Natural Disaster/Hurricane
Preparedness Plan
2003
Phone: (561)
993-1500 Belle Glade
(269)
658-3400 Immokalee
Alternate Building Emergency Coordinators
Dr. Lawrence
E. Datnoff
Phone: (561) 993-1531
Dr. Ken Pernezny
Phone: (561) 993-1599
OBJECTIVE
The object of this plan is to establish procedures to minimize storm related damage to Center property and protect the lives of personnel. This plan identifies actions and those individuals responsible for fulfilling actions listed in this plan. The plan gives primary consideration to those actions necessary to protect Center property and staff.
PROCEDURES BEFORE A HURRICANE
Review Preparedness Plan and know your assignments. Ask questions now. Update personnel contact chain phone numbers with Nancy Johnson.
POSSIBLE HURRICANE STRIKE
Beginning five days prior to the possibility of a hurricane affecting EREC, the safety committee, on-site administrator(s), and interested personnel will meet in Dr. Hanlon’s office at 9:00 am each day to discuss plan of action.
The Center Director or Designate will inform Gainesville (Greg Rivers, Facilities Operations and VP Martin’s office) of all procedures that have been completed.
Center Director Dr.Edward Hanlon
Designates Dr.Lawrence Datnoff
Dr. Ken Pernezny
Hurricane Watch: When a hurricane watch is issued the following procedures shall take
place.
Vehicles: Vehicles should be fully fuelled. Each faculty or service group is responsible
for accomplishing this task. Vehicle keys should be labelled and kept by individual
faculty or their designated employee.
Area Surrounding Buildings: A general survey should be conducted around each building following
announcement of an impending hurricane watch.
Loose items should be brought inside or secured to prevent loss or
damage by wind. Each faculty member is
responsible for securing the area around their assigned space and building(s).
Computer and Data Systems: A
full backup of the computer system should be made. Backed up information should be stored in two separate
locations. Other computer-related
defensive actions deemed appropriate by Computer operations should be
implemented.
Laboratory and General Office Areas: Principal investigators and supervisors will be responsible for
preparation of their assigned areas. When
a hurricane watch is issued, make
necessary preparations to suspend ongoing experiments involving biological
materials, radioactive agents, and hazardous chemicals. Secure equipment and
materials.
IMMINENT
HURRICANE STRIKE
When the Center Administration decided to fully prepare for the approaching hurricane, or a hurricane warning is declared, the following actions will be implemented.
Vehicles: All vehicles shall be fuelled and parked on
the field road designated by the farm manager. Each faculty or user group is
responsible for accomplishing this task.
Vehicle keys should be labelled and placed with the Center receptionist.
General Office Preparation: Individual offices and work areas should be checked and "storm
readied" by the owner in accordance with the guide below. Close and lock
all windows. Turn off and unplug all electrical equipment. Computers and other electrical equipment
should be moved away from windows. Disconnect computers from data lines.
Computers should be moved from the floor, placed on a countertop or desk top,
and wrapped in plastic. Disconnect all
equipment from bottled gases (including propane equipment) and cap cylinders. After completion of your assigned areas, if
there are known absences in a group, other group members should storm ready the
work area for those absent.
General Laboratory Preparation: Plans should be developed
well in advance to insure the protection of valuable research equipment,
samples and data. Once a hurricane watch is issued, these plans should be
implemented in your research areas in preparation for the hurricane.
When a hurricane warning is issued, implement
activities to suspend operations in the laboratory. Plan to shut operations down within three hours of
initial hurricane warning.
1. Don’t count on the
availability of power or water after onset of the storm event and for several
days following.
2. Always keep chemical/radioactive materials in your inventory to a
minimum. Dispose of hazardous wastes and old materials routinely to minimize
chemical loading in your facility.
3. Consider turning down refrigerators and freezers to the lowest
practical settings. Should power fail, then the contents will remain cool for a
longer period of time.
4. Due to the possibility of power outages, volatile toxic materials
should not be stored in fume hoods or the open room but in tightly sealed
break-resistant containers.
5. Remove any equipment or supplies stored or mounted in outdoor
locations once a watch or warning is announced (based on ease of removal and
set-up).
6. Water reactive chemicals, radioactive materials, toxic and
biohazardous agents are to be stored in Rm. 109 in the Wedgworth Building. Store all items on upper shelves in room.
7. Collect notebooks and secure samples/data, as practical, for
colleagues in travel status or unable to reach the lab.
8. Check emergency phone numbers. Update emergency notification lists on
lab doors. You may consider temporarily posting an expanded list with all lab
personnel phone, pager, and cellular phone numbers.
9. Maintain a supply of plastic waterproof containers to store reactive
chemicals, lab notes, research documentation, computer disks, and any other
materials that you cannot afford to have damaged. A limited number of large plastic bags will be available
for the first yearly hurricane threat only.
10. Pesticides must be off the floor and bottom shelf.
11. The hall and restrooms in building # 7401 are available for storage of computers and small
equipment.
EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES
Everyone shall help in securing common buildings in preparation of an approaching hurricane. Each employee is responsible for notifying their supervisor of their plans before the hurricane and for contacting their supervisor as soon as possible following a hurricane. IFAS Personnel in
Gainesville may contacted at (352) 392-4777 if the employee is unable to reach their supervisor
following a hurricane.
FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES
Faculty members are responsible for the safety of their students, interns, post-docs, etc. Students must evacuate the Dormitory. Faculty members shall notify their employees of their duties and responsibilities before and following a hurricane threat and following an actual hurricane.
Each faculty member is responsible for securing common buildings and their assigned areas, including computers lab equipment, field equipment, vehicles, pesticides, laboratory chemicals and out buildings.
Nancy Johnson: Will updated list of employees with addresses and phone numbers and maintain Disaster Preparedness folder in the Center Director’s office.
Buildings shall be prepared by putting shutters on the windows and picking up any loose objects
around the buildings.
Metal shutters for buildings # 7401 and # 7499 are stored in building # 7462.
Supports for the doors in # 7401 and # 7499 are located in # 7462.
Hardware for building # 7401 and # 7499 is stored in Mechanic Shop
Plywood shutters for the student house are located in the carpenter shop.
Hardware for the student house is located in the carpenter shop.
Shutters for the Conference Center are located in building # 7462.
Hardware for the Conference Center is located in the carpenter shop.
Cordless drivers are located with Carpenter Shop, Dr. Raid, Dr. Nagata and other faculty.
DUTY ASSIGNMENTS
Administration Building (#7401)
|
Jeremy Krawchuk – Leader |
|
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|
Robert Beiriger |
R.J Dixon |
Jose Gonzalez |
Samira Daroub |
|
Eva Green |
Sandy Hall |
Randy Jackson |
Dolen Morris |
|
Ruth Lewis |
Lee Liang |
David Rimes |
Irina Ognevich |
Wedgworth Building (#7499)
|
Dr. Cherry:Co-Leader |
Dr. Lang: Co-Leader |
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Amanda Carroll |
Dr. Ming Chen |
Dr. Pernezny |
Maria Fabelo |
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Vivian Johnson |
Dr. Jose Alvarez |
Dr. Nagata |
Viviana Nodal |
|
Theresa Sanford |
Margaret Robins |
Brenda Rutherford |
Dorothy Sistrunk |
|
Brandi Schoenfeld |
Andrew Bennett |
Jose Gonzalez |
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Student House
|
Gregg Nuesly Co-Leader |
Lawrence Datnoff Co-Leader |
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Orlando Diaz |
Dale Stanford |
Gwen Williams |
Alvin Wilson |
Conference Center
|
Robert Gilbert |
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Norman Harrison |
Matthew Hentz |
Kathy Krawchuk |
Jose Ruiz |
Soils Building
|
Joan Lee- Leader |
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April Kercheville |
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Pesticide Building
|
Jose Ruiz – Leader |
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Propane Tank shall be turned OFF
|
Jose Ruiz – Leader |
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CLEAN UP KIT
|
Barbara Saddler |
Rosa Innocent |
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Jeremy Krawchuk |
Jose Ruiz - Leader |
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Recommended Supplies:
|
Batteries |
Vermiculite |
Chemical Spill Kits |
Bleach |
|
Brooms |
Mops |
Buckets |
Wheelbarrows |
|
Chainsaws/blades |
Gasoline |
Oil |
Hammers |
|
Hand Tools |
Spray Suits |
Respirators |
Gloves |
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Ladders |
Axes |
Generators |
Tool Box |
|
Shovels |
Flashlights |
First Aid Kits |
Rakes |
Other Items of Use
PROCEDURES AFTER A HURRICANE
Contact your supervisor, Station Administrator or Gainesville for instructions on reporting to work. Do not enter any buildings until okayed is given. Stay safe.
Appendix I
Contact Information for
Critical/Essential Operations
Nancy Johnson will keep complete list of names and telephone numbers and will distribute these numbers on an as need basis. She will also FAX this list to:
Dr. Mike Martin, Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources
Phone (352) 392-1971
SC 622-1971
FAX (352) 392-6932
Greg Rivers, Facilities Operations
Phone (352) 392-6488
SunCom 622-6488
FAX (352) 392-3161
IFAS Personnel, Gainesville
Phone (352) 392-4777
Phone: (561) 993-1500 Belle
Glade
(269) 658-3400 Immokalee
Dr. Lawrence E. Datnoff
Phone: (561) 993-1531
Dr. Ken Pernezny
Phone (561) 993-1599
Additional Phone Numbers
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Home Phone Number |
Cell Phone Number |
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