The University is remaining open as of Sunday night while all eyes are on Tropical Storm Isaac. University, city and state officials are bracing for what could be Louisiana’s first hurricane of the season, as the storm grows stronger and draws nearer to the state. Early projections saw the storm making landfall close to the Gulf Coast border of Mississippi and Alabama, but throughout Sunday, the projections slowly moved westward, with the storm center falling just east of New Orleans. Isaac has weakened but is expected to strengthen upon traveling through the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters with about an 80 percent chance of evolving into a hurricane. Projections had the storm entering the Gulf early this morning. The University has not yet canceled classes and other scheduled events, despite Governor Bobby Jindal declaring a state of emergency for Louisiana on Sunday. A tropical storm warning was issued for East Baton Rouge Parish around 5 p.m. Baton Rouge residents flocked to grocery stores and gas stations Sunday night, emptying shelves and depleting supplies. The LSU Emergency Operations Center was activated Sunday night, said Ernie Ballard, director of LSU Media Relations. Ballard could not elaborate further on the University’s cancellation plans. On-campus residents can stay in residential halls and apartments during severe weather unless a campus evacuation is mandated. According to the LSU Emergency Operations website, campus evacuations will follow the same procedures as city evacuations, and students with vehicles should consult notifications from the city when leaving. The University’s Carl Maddox Field House was designated a Medical Special Needs Shelter by the state, according to a broadcast email sent late Sunday. Any on-campus power outages should be reported to LSU Facility Services. Further information concerning the University’s emergency plans can be found at the LSU Emergency Preparedness website, lsu.edu/ur/lsu_safety. Information on city evacuation procedures, shelters and other emergency information can be found at brgov.com/dept/oep/hurricaneprep.htm. Additional information about the storm and preparedness is available by calling the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness at 225-389-2100 or by visiting redstickready.com. Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden advised residents to stay up-to-date with the storm’s condition. “As with any storm, we are urging everyone to continue to make the proper preparations not only for the duration of the storm, but also for the possibility of being without basic services for an extended period of time,” Holden said in a Sunday news release. Jindal detailed the state’s preparation plans at a Sunday afternoon news conference. New Orleans, as well as other southeastern coastal areas, are under hurricane warning as of Sunday night. Some mandatory and voluntary evacuations have already been issued. Jindal said measures taken by universities will vary by campus. He was scheduled to appear at the Republican National Convention this week but may not attend, saying the state is his top priority.
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