University prepares for Hurricane Irene

Quinnipiac University is preparing to hunker down for Hurricane Irene and the aftermath of the storm.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy signed a declaration of emergency on August 25, which allows him to order evacuations among other powers.

"With a hurricane, it is difficult to guess what is going to happen," said John Twining, Director of Emergency Management at Quinnipiac.

According to Twining, many parents have called the university asking if they could make alternate move-in arrangements.

"You need to do what you feel safe doing," he said. "If you would rather have your students with you when this occurs… and then bring them Monday or Tuesday, we will be here."

The university's response will depend on the severity of the storm, however they are prepared for the worst.

"We met to make sure everyone had their ducks in a row," Twining said. "We will make the big decisions Saturday or Sunday depending on where it goes, how hard we get hit and what the results are."

Power outages are likely during a category one hurricane and could be out for days depending on the severity of the storm, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) hurricane guide.

"If we lose power it becomes a UI [The United Illuminating Company]  issue, and we aren't the only people in the world," Twining said. "We'll have to wait in line to get our power back."

In the meantime, the university has generators in most residence halls and buildings around the Mount Carmel campus. Because Ledges, Complex and The Suites aren't equipped with generators, some 800 students would have to move to other buildings in the event of extended power loss.

However, York Hill is equipped with a generator that can power all buildings on that campus. The University also has a four-hour guarantee response time with a company that manages the North Haven campus.

Twining said that he has been coordinating with Hamden fire and police departments in case they are needed on campus; however, they also have to worry about the rest of Hamden.

"There are a lot of people in the town of Hamden other than Quinnipiac," he said. "We are waiting in line like everybody else for the services of the few emergency responders that are out there."

Quinnipiac has a good working relationship with both the fire and police departments in town, and Twining doesn't foresee any issues with them responding if need be.

Departments around the school have been coordinating with each other over the past few days to make sure everything is in order before the storm hits.

Chartwells has its own policies and procedures for staffing during emergencies. They will be doubling their deliveries over the next few days in case deliveries are impossible after the storm.

Health services will stay open around the clock as they normally do during the academic year. There will also have enough staff in case emergency services aren't able to reach the campus.

Extra facilities staff will also be on campus, especially for electrical work.

The storm's timing poses challenges to universities around the state because many students were scheduled to move in this weekend.

The University of Connecticut is urging students not to move in on Sunday and instead move in today from 7 a.m.  to 11 a.m., and on Saturday as normally scheduled.

University of New Haven has canceled classes through Tuesday and may stay closed after that depending on the status of the school after the storm has passed.

Southern Connecticut State University is recommending that students leave campus after moving in their belongings. Students who have to stay will be accommodated, but services may be limited.