The college administration is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Karen, which has formed in the Yucatan Channel and will move into the Gulf of Mexico, potentially posing a threat to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Surface winds of 50 to 60 mph were measured in a portion of Karen’s circulation, indicating that a fairly healthy tropical storm has already formed.

As Karen moves northwest and north toward the central Gulf Coast, significant uncertainty remains about how strong it will become and how strong it can remain. Strong wind shear is expected to hold firm across the northern Gulf of Mexico, and this shear is likely to cause Karen to weaken to some degree as it approaches the U.S. mainland.

Since there is always a possibility of a storm striking the Mississippi Gulf Coast, all college employees should take a moment to review their department’s severe-weather policies and plans as well as personal emergency weather plans. Communications play a key role during any emergency, so college information will be communicated through the Connect-ED system, the website, social media and the college’s toll-free number.

To enhance communication efforts, please review the following checklist:

▪         To ensure notification through Connect-ED, visit Web Services by logging in through the college website. Once you have logged in to the secure area, update your emergency notification information at the bottom, left-hand side of the page under the Personal Information tab. It will ask you to provide both a cell phone number and emergency email address. You will receive emergency information as a telephone call/voice mail, as a text message and as an email message.

▪         In the event that the main website becomes unavailable, check our back-up site, http://mgccc.blogspot.com. Students and employees can also call the college’s toll-free phone number, 1-866-735-1122, and check the MGCCC Facebook page for periodic college updates during severe-weather situations as well.

▪         If evacuation becomes necessary, students and employees who evacuate will find important updates through the local television, radio and newspapers as well as the Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s statewide network of radio and television affiliates. MPB’s radio frequencies are listed on all state evacuation signs.

▪         The college administration will continue to monitor evolving conditions in the tropics and will issue updates.

The following sites are also important to hurricane preparedness:

▪                     http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml

▪                     http://www.mpbonline.org/

▪                     http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/

▪                     http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes

▪                     http://www.msema.org/

▪                     http://mdot.ms.gov/portal/emergency_services.aspx

The safety, protection and well being of our students and employees are of the utmost importance as we prepare for severe weather as well as other emergencies.