THIBODAUX – With the continuing approach of Tropical Storm Gustav, the Emergency Preparedness Committee at Nicholls State University has issued a Phase 2 alert in accordance with the 2008 Hurricane Emergency Plan, posted at https://emergency.www.nicholls.edu.Effective at noon today, classes will be canceled until at least 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3. Students and nonessential personnel are advised to leave campus.
Nonessential personnel are instructed to secure their workstations according to their internal Phase 2 procedures before they leave. Phones are not to be unplugged. Supervisors must have contact information on hand – including phone numbers and addresses – for all employees before leaving campus.
Students, faculty and staff are instructed to monitor all available media and Internet coverage – as well university-issued e-mails and text messages – for official advisories from various governmental agencies regarding evacuation orders and procedures, the status of surrounding parishes and the university’s probable re-opening date.
Phase 3 will be initiated at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 30, at which time students will be advised to evacuate to an area out of the storm’s path. On-campus residents without a means of transportation will be evacuated to Louisiana Tech University where they will receive pre-arranged shelter and meals for the duration of their stay. All departments must enact internal Phase 3 storm preparations by 3 p.m. tomorrow.
The Emergency Preparedness Committee will continue to monitor the strength, speed and projected landfall site of Tropical Storm Gustav and reconvene at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 30, to determine the university’s next course of action.
Although Phase 2 normally includes the opening of a shelter at Bollinger Memorial Student Union for faculty, staff and students who are unable to leave campus, this procedure will be bypassed because of tomorrow’s initiation of Phase 3.
Further updates will be posted at www.nicholls.edu and emergency.www.nicholls.edu.
