Update on Hurricane Sandy

Sent via mass email to students and employees on Oct. 28

To all students and employees:

As you know, central Pennsylvania is expected to be impacted by the wind and rain associated with Hurricane Sandy. This historic storm is predicted to begin affecting our region late Sunday night/early Monday morning. Campus officials continue to monitor this storm carefully and are in contact with local emergency management officials and agencies.

We are launching the College’s emergency blog as an additional means to communicate our preparedness and response plans with students, employees and parents. In addition, we will continue to send mass emails to students and employees and update the College’s Facebook and Twitter accounts as needed.

At this time, Messiah plans to operate on a normal schedule tomorrow, October 29.  If that should change, you will be notified via mass email, text message, messiah.edu, and Facebook and Twitter updates.

Once again, if you have not already signed up for the text message alert system, we encourage you to do so immediately. In the case of a power outage, texting will be a critical initial form of communication. We also suggest that you keep your phone as fully charged as possible. (Directions to sign up for text message alerts are at http://www.messiah.edu/divisions/operations/. You are not properly signed up until you receive a confirmation text message.)

Many of you may have friends at Messiah’s Philadelphia campus, and we want to assure you that we are in conversation with officials there to ensure that our students and employees at that location are equipped to deal with this storm.

Here are helpful reminders as you prepare for this storm:

• Monitor local news, the College’s website, phone and email for updates to information.
• Charge all mobile and electronic devices.
• Close all windows. Turn off computers, lights and other electronic equipment when not in use.
• Dining Services has emergency plans and supplies in place to address issues related to this storm.
• Electrical and valuable equipment should be moved away from windows (where possible leaks occur) and off of the floor.
• Have adequate prescription medications on hand.
• Report any hazardous conditions (downed trees, power lines, etc.) to Dispatch Services immediately at ext. 6565 or 717-691-6005.
• Window and ceiling leaks should be reported to resident life staff.

We will continue to track this storm and provide updates as needed. We know that many of you have loved ones in the path of this storm, and we join you in praying for their safety as well as the safety of our campus.

Kim S. Phipps, president
Kris Hansen-Kieffer, vice provost, dean of students
Kathie Shafer, vice president for operations, chair of crisis response team