As people in Florida await Hurricane Milton to make landfall, some people evacuated while others stayed put, including some college students.

Gannon University's Ruskin campus is ready to withstand whatever Hurricane Milton brings its way.

The administrative building is boarded up and other campus buildings are prepped as well.

According to Doug Oathout, the Chief of Staff and Director of Marketing and Communications for Gannon University explained, "The newer classroom building is built for this kind of weather and so that doesn't need as much care. Everything has been powered down, the generator is on, we have done as much as we can for the physical property."


The school has a crisis management plan they follow when hurricanes hit and that includes making sure faculty and students are safe. "The university itself is not in a flood zone, but you don't have to go more than a mile to be in a flood zone and that's where most of our students, faculty and staff live", said Oathout.


The school is now on fall break and many people have left the area ahead of the storm, but there's no time set for when they will be able to return to campus. As Oathout explained, "According to our academic calendar, we would be back on Monday, but the reality is, when you have a Category Four storm coming across, it's literally going over our campus, there's no telling what kind of damage will happen to the greater community."


Just north, classes at University of Central Florida have been canceled for students including Erie native, Sam Louie, who plans to ride out the storm. "I got a bunch of supplies, obviously water, flashlight, dry food and stuff, right now I am just hunkering down and getting ready", said Louie.


He said he has seen people prepare for days for Hurricane Milton. "A lot of people are really preparing. I personally work at a grocery store, so the last few shifts and last few days have been really hectic. Everyone has been clearing out the shelves, all the spam and water and everything is gone", said Louie.


He's used to preparing for snow, so preparing for a hurricane has been a first for him. "It's definitely a lot different. I have never seen shelves cleared out in Erie, so I guess I will see how it goes", said Louie.

 

Gannon University has a place for Hurricane Relief victims, you can donate here.