Helpful Parent Information During Hurricane Season

Texas A&M University-Kingsville is located along the Coastal Bend, 40 miles south of Corpus Christi. During the hurricane season A&M-Kingsville carefully monitors all adverse weather in the Gulf of Mexico.

A&M-Kingsville has a Emergency Management Team (EMT) that consists of key professionals from throughout the university. These individuals meet regularly to plan operations during a campus emergencies. This includes planning for hurricanes.

Primary EMT Contacts:

• University Police Department upd@tamuk.edu
• Kirsten M Compary Kirsten.Compary@tamuk.edu
• Randolph S Creel Randolph.Creel@tamuk.edu

Hurricane Preparedness

When a tropical storm or hurricane enters the Gulf of Mexico, the EMT immediately meets and begins to provide regular campus advisories to faculty, staff, and students via the campus email and web system. These short advisories are intended to provide some information to the campus community and to assure the campus community that the EMT is meeting and monitoring the activity in the Gulf.

The hurricane procedures for the campus are based on the severity of the storm and the amount of time before the actual storm may reach Kingsville. For example, if the storm is a category 1 or 2 storm, the campus will likely remain open and effort will be made to keep the campus community informed. At 72 hours, 48 hours, 36 hours, etc. different decisions and activities occur throughout campus. Outdoor supplies may be secured, roofs may be inspected, and hazardous chemicals may be secured in anticipation of a hurricane. Of course things are subject to change depending on the projected path of the storm.

If the storm is a category 3 or above the campus may close if the projected track suggests a significant threat to the Kingsville area. The decision to close campus is typically made by the University President approximately 30-36 hours before expected landfall. Should the campus close it is the expectation that the entire campus community leave campus and seek shelter elsewhere, with family or friends.

This does not mean students and their families should not take other precautions. Underlying all activity of the EMT during hurricane season is the responsibility of the student and their family to have a personal plan. If at anytime the student or family feels it necessary to leave the Kingsville area for their own safety they should exercise this prerogative.