As hurricane Isabel propels up the east coast, the city of Charlottesville and the University are preparing for potential effects of the storm.
Charlottesville Spokesperson Maurice Jones said the City is working closely with the police and fire departments, as well as social services to organize a plan should the hurricane hit the Charlottesville area.
"For years we have had a plan to deal with national disasters," Jones said. "There will be an ECC [Emergency Communications Center] meeting [today] to increase communication with one another to make sure each department is ready to face the storm."
Eric Pritchett, meteorologist for the local Channel 29 news, said hurricane Isabel, originating off the coast of Africa, was moving northwest at 125 mph as of 11 p.m. yesterday.
While Pritchett said Isabel's projected path is still uncertain, he said it will travel up the eastern seaboard, affecting the coast and inland areas. Additionally, weather services estimate the effects of hurricane Isabel will be felt from North Carolina to Long Island.
Last night, hurricane Isabel was downgraded to a class three out of five hurricane.
"It has fluxuated throughout the day, but it is still a very dangerous hurricane," he said.
While Pritchett said he cannot predict for certain the outcome of hurricane Isabel, he said the storm is similar to hurricane Fran of 1996, which created 8-16 inches of rain.
"Hurricane Fran is comprobable [to hurricane Isabel] because of the heavy rainfall, but right now it is not comprobable in terms of wind speed," Pritchett said.
Storms of Isabel's magnitude are not unusual for this time of year as hurricane season takes place from June 1 until the end of November, Pritchett said.
University Police Capt. Mike Coleman said students should not be alarmed because the University has an emergency preparedness plan in place, which includes assessing vehicles and generators. To keep students informed, Coleman said the University will distribute information to students concerning emergency plans of action if the hurricane enters the area.
"In the past, there have been hurricanes, but we have not needed to evacuate," Coleman said. "We plan for the worst but expect things to go well."
In case of an emergency situation, Charlottesville is an evacuation site for the Tidewater area, Jones said. High schools and other buildings including locations at the University will serve as shelters.
Jones said the City has not yet decided whether to begin arranging sites until Thursday, when the storm is predicted to strike the area.
"It is difficult to predict the impact," he said.
In the event that the Charlottesville area needs to evacuate, Jones said the community will be housed in local shelters.
The City's major concerns are high winds and floods, such as overflow at the corner of University and Emmet Streets, Jones said.
"We should not have severe problems--only minor road closings," Jones said.
The City holds annual mock drills to prepare a response in the event of a disaster such as a hurricane, Jones said. These drills, with supervision from the state, ensure the police and fire departments and social services maintain communication and are able to effectively react to a disaster.
Jones said students should have enough food for three to seven days, a battery operated radio, a first-aid kit, sufficient supply of needed medication and flashlights in case of an emergency situation.
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