UCA officials will be monitoring weather as another round of severe storms move into the area.
The National Weather Service Prediction Center has placed parts of Central Arkansas under a high risk of severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night. Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop initially over southwest Arkansas then push across the state in the evening and into overnight. Isolated super cells thunderstorms will initially develop then a line of strong severe storms.
The main threats from the storm will be winds in excess of 60 miles per hour and isolated tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service. Hail, greater than one-inch, and heavy rain will also be possible.
Additional UCA officers have been called to prepare for any emergency on campus as a result of the potential outbreak of severe weather, said UCA Police Chief Larry James.
“We will be monitoring the situation carefully and will be ready to respond in the event there is a critical impact to the campus,” James said.
UCA officers will notify the community of potential dangerous conditions by going to residence halls, apartment complexes and other facilities on campus to warn and encourage students and staff to take shelter.
Students are encouraged to stay alert to severe weather conditions by monitoring local news outlets and be prepared to take severe weather precautions. Each residence hall, apartment complex and Torreyson Library has its own procedure to follow. Pay attention to staff as they will direct students appropriately.
Emergency notification will be sent through the UCAAlert System via text message, voice message and e-mail. Students, faculty and staff can sign up for UCAAlert to receive emergency notification via text message and voice message. Visit UCA Police Department’s website at www.ucapd.com to learn how.
Monday’s storms caused minor damage on campus. Neighboring communities did not fare as well. The city of Vilonia was hit hard Monday night after a massive tornado struck the community.
UCA sent 20 officers and seven vehicles to Vilonia in response to a mutual aid request. The officers were deployed to strategic locations in Vilonia to assist in securing the area. Officers remained on location until mid-morning Tuesday and were released to get some rest and prepare for another round of storms predicted for this evening. Capt. John Merguie served as incident command for the UCA contingent assisting Vilonia.
Denny Foulk, UCA’s emergency management coordinator, responded with UCA’s team of officers and was asked to serve as the Operations Chief for the entire incident. He will be assisting Vilonia until the emergency response phase is completed.
Here are additional Safety Tips
• Prepare for tornadoes by gathering emergency supplies including food, water, medications, batteries, flashlights, important documents, road maps, and a full tank of gasoline.
• When a tornado approaches, anyone in its path should take shelter indoors—preferably in a basement or an interior first-floor room or hallway.
• Avoid windows and seek additional protection by getting underneath large, solid pieces of furniture.
• Avoid automobiles and mobile homes, which provide almost no protection from tornadoes.
• Those caught outside should lie flat in a depression or on other low ground and wait for the storm to pass.
Photo credit: Photographer Sean Waugh NOAA/NSSL
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce.
