To: American University Community

From:Doug Kudravetz, CFO, Vice President and Treasurer

Subject: Update on University Preparations for Hurricane Florence

By now, most of you probably have heard that Hurricane Florence has turned south and is now expected make landfall somewhere in southeast North Carolina, more than 350 miles from Washington, DC. The storm has been downgraded from a Category 3 to a Category 2 but is also dangerous and expected to bring damaging winds and flooding to the Carolinas.

Our thoughts remain with those who have loved ones in the areas likely to be impacted by the storm. If you have any concerns in your residence hall, please contact your Community Director or Resident Assistant, or visit your residence hall community desk and a staff member will assist you.

Based on the latest predictions for the storm’s track, we expect that the university will continue to operate normally with standard class schedules. We also expect that other university functions will continue such as the library and other essential services.  

As I mentioned on Tuesday, however, we are still making extensive preparations for heavy rainfall and wind or a change in the storm’s course, and we will continue to monitor it closely over the next several days. In the meantime, we have made extra food orders so we can continue food service, stockpiled water bottles, tested all of our generators, and prepared the buildings and grounds for winds and heavy rainfall. We encourage AU students, staff, and faculty in the area to take personal emergency preparedness measures which include ensuring an adequate supply of prescription medication, keeping electronic communication devices charged, and monitoring our various emergency alert systems.

As I also noted on Tuesday, Mayor Bowser has declared a state of emergency for the city in advance of the storm. This measure ensures emergency services and other critical city functions are properly prepared to continue delivery of essential services before, during, and after any critical incident. 

For updates on Hurricane Florence, we recommend following The National Hurricane Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as well as reading AU’s operating policy on inclement weather closing or delays.

If you have general questions about emergency preparedness at American University, please email prepared@american.edu.