Dr. Ghislaine Lewis, Critograph Faculty Advisor~
As Hurricane Florence barrels toward the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia coast as a Category 4 storm, the University of Lynchburg campus is preparing for the heavy rainfall. Parents and Family Weekend has been cancelled and the City of Lynchburg plans to close part of Lakeside Drive on Wednesday, September 12, so the drain pipe can be cleared of debris ahead of the storm.
The university is not in an evacuation zone and is above the flood plain. As a result, it continues to operate on the normal schedule as the administration pays keen attention to the path of the storm.
Director of Communications Bryan Gentry said, “The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and campus is our top priority. We canceled Parents and Family Weekend so we could focus on safety and also limit unnecessary travel. We continue to monitor forecasts related to Hurricane Florence and collaborate with public safety officials to determine the best steps forward.”
Gentry noted that at press time on Tuesday afternoon, “cancelling classes or evacuating campus have not appeared to be advisable. In addition to the fact that we can best ensure student safety while students are here, we also have students who cannot go home because their homes are in evacuation zones.”
“At this time, staff members from all around campus — security, residence life, dining services, health services, and more — are working together to provide for student’s needs,” said Gentry.
If the storm remains on its current path, it is scheduled to reach Lynchburg on Saturday with a 30% probability of tropical storm force winds and flash flooding.
Students should remain on alert, pay keen attention to campus communication channels and begin preparations by keeping all important records and papers in a waterproof, portable container, or ziploc bag. In addition, students in basement lodgings should remove their belongings from the floor in case flooding occurs.
First-year students concerned about parking in The Nest parking facility, will be able to relocate their cars to somewhere else on campus as the storm advances.
Any news about class schedules or what students can do to remain safe will be shared through email, www.lynchburg.edu, social media, and the LiveSafe app.
