Emerson keeps an eye on Hurricane Irene

Update: August 28 at 3:30 pm

Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it arrived in Boston earlier today (August 28) bringing rain and wind. The storm continues to pass through the region and is expected to be over by late Sunday. The campus was spared from any major storm damage and first-year students will be able to move in as planned.

Updated August 27, 2011, 2 pm

Based on the latest forecasts, it appears that Hurricane Irene will pass through Boston on Sunday, and be out of the area by late in the day. During the storm, whether you will be on or off campus, please stay indoors.

Below is relevant information pertaining to Orientation and new student move-in activities planned for 8/28, 8/29, and 8/30 and information for those currently on campus and off campus.

We will be posting updates to www.emerson.edu on Sunday if anything changes.

Info for planned move-in and Orientations:

Since it appears that Hurricane Irene will be out of the Boston area by late Sunday, the schedule for new students to move in on Monday, August 29, from 8:00 am to 6:15 pm, and Tuesday, August 30, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm will go ahead as scheduled.

Please follow your assigned move-in times to the best of your ability. We understand you may experience delays in your travels and ask that you contact the Office of Housing and Residence Life via email at reslife@emerson.edu to alert them of any change in your anticipated arrival. Additionally, you can email orientation@emerson.edu with questions. These email accounts will be monitored throughout the weekend.

Because Sunday looks to be when the storm will be the most severe, Sunday’s International Student and Parent Orientation activities have been cancelled. To accommodate the change, international students will receive revised orientation schedules when they arrive on campus on Saturday. 

International parents are encouraged to stop by the International Welcome Center on Saturday if they have any questions and are invited to attend Tuesday’s Parent Orientation program if their schedule permits. In addition, all offices will be open on Monday and parents are welcome to stop by and visit.

On-Campus Residents/Staff/Faculty:

For campus residents, in the event of an emergency, please contact the Emerson Department of Public Safety at 617-824-8555. The Emerson College homepage will include updated information on Sunday afternoon if necessary.

For campus residents planning to leave campus and all faculty and staff, please be sure to close and lock any open windows before you leave campus for the weekend. Damage to interior rooms and offices and their contents will result from windows left open in high winds and wind-driven rain. Stay away from windows when there are high winds and close shades or blinds to avoid possible injury from broken glass.

Turn off and unplug computers, monitors, etc. before you leave campus for the weekend. As a precaution, should there be a loss of electrical power during the storm, turn off and unplug computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, etc. before you leave campus. This will eliminate the possibility of damage to sensitive equipment that could result from electrical surges that might occur should there be a loss of power.

 Off-Campus Residents:

The City of Boston advises that students should not move into off-campus housing on Sunday, August 28. Due to the dangerous weather forecasts, temporary parking placards for trucks are revoked, and there will be STRICT enforcement of parking and all other code regulations. For more information, call the Mayor’s 24-Hour Hotline, 617-635-4500.

The recommendations for the on-campus community may also apply to off-campus living situations.In addition, especially if there are predictions for storm damage and power outages, you may want to consider additional preparations of flashlights, batteries, food, water, etc. The links below each provide preparedness checklists that may be helpful:

American Red Cross:

http://www.redcross.org/wwwfiles/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/checklists/Hurricane.pdf

National Hurricane Center:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/supply_kit.shtml

Emerson College is keeping a close eye on Hurricane Irene, which has begun moving up the East Coast of the United States.

As of late Thursday (August 25), weather forecasters are suggesting that the storm might be in the Boston area on Sunday (August 28), and bring strong winds and significant rain.

The College's plans to move incoming students into the residence halls on Monday (August 29), and Tuesday (August 30), remain unchanged. Students are encouraged to follow their assigned move-in times and to call the Office of Housing and Residence Life at 617-824-8620 if they have questions.

Emerson will continue to monitor the news regarding the storm, and if anything changes will update the Emerson community via email, Twitter, Facebook, and through information posted to this website.

The College also encourages incoming students and their parents to also monitor the news about Hurricane Irene.