UPDATED Sunday, Sept. 5
USM spokesman Bob Caswell says USM was unaffected by Hurricane Earl, which lost most of its steam by the time it hit Maine. Parts of Gorham lost electricity on Saturday, he said, but the Gorham campus was spared.
Friday, Sept. 3
With Earl making its way up the East Coast, university officials are preparing for the worst by securing generators, making evacuation plans and planning for the event that school is canceled Saturday.
USM spokesman Bob Caswell said Facilities Management has procured emergency generators and residence hall employees are preparing for the possibility that Gorham dorm residents will have to be evacuated to the Brooks Student Center. Aramark has also been in the loop, he said, in the event emergency food is required.
Facilities Management, Residential Life and USM police have met to assign employees to be on call in case the hurricane hits, he said.
“We’re just monitoring the weather conditions and we’ll be prepared to cancel classes and other events over the weekend if needed,” said Caswell. “The sense is that it’s not going to be as bad as earlier forecasts, but one never knows.”
Earl was downgraded Friday to Category 1 from Category 2. The hurricane slowed down as it hit cooler waters, registering wind speeds of around 80 mph off the coast of Nantucket, according to the National Weather Service.
The university convened the Critical Response Incident Team on Wednesday, the group of staff and administrators responsible for planning responses to emergencies. The group met previously during the H1N1 flu epidemic.
For information about school closings, check USM’s website for updates or call 780-4800 (753-6595 for LAC). When USM is closed for weather or other emergencies, a message goes to the cell phones of anyone who has signed up for the USM Alert service, which you can sign up for here.
Lewiston-Auburn College and Muskie offices in Augusta make separate decisions about closing.
The Office of Public Affairs on Friday issued the following safety recommendations in case Earl hits the Portland area:
- Be prepared for the possibility of extended power outages.
- Avoid walking near trees and be aware of potential danger from other overhead objects, such as signs.
- Keep doors and windows closed and locked.
- Shut off air conditioners.
- Keep delicate equipment, such as computers, covered and unplugged.
- If you are leaving campus today, make sure that windows are closed, electronics are secured and that lights are turned off.
- If there is an emergency on campus, call USM Public Safety at (207) 780-5211.