Emergency Management

Dear Eagles,

As we approach the start of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season (June 1 – November 30), FGCU Emergency Management encourages all students and employees to take time to review your hurricane preparedness plans. Hurricane season can be unpredictable, and it only takes one major hurricane to cause destruction, especially during peak season, which begins mid-September. 

FGCU Emergency Management, with campus leadership, is committed to keeping you informed about weather updates and personal preparedness.  

We follow the guidance of the National Hurricane Center on the tropical weather outlook for Southwest Florida. Emergency Management monitors the weather closely and will alert the campus community as needed via RAVE Guardian Eagle App and texts, FGCU Update emails, social media and website updates. 

The start of hurricane season is a perfect time to revise or create your personal emergency plan. Below are tips and resources: 

Prepare Now

• Know your evacuation zone:    
• Charlotte County
• Collier County
• Glades County
• Hendry County
• Lee County
• Create a preparedness plan
• Learn what to pack in your disaster supply kit 
• Make an evacuation plan that is close to home 
• Prepare for your pet
• Consider family members with special needs, including those with health conditions and disabilities 
• Review the FGCU Emergency Response Guide

 Emergency Communication

• Download the RAVE Guardian Eagle App and add up to two additional emails and phone numbers, such as immediate family members, to receive FGCU emergency notifications and timely warnings. 
• Update your cell phone and emergency contact information in Workday (employees) or Gulfline (students).
• Sign up for alert notifications in the county you reside. Here are the emergency alert webpages for the Southwest Florida communities FGCU serves: 
• Charlotte County: Alert Charlotte
• Collier County: Alert Collier
• Glades County: AlertGlades
• Hendry County: Emergency Alert Program  
• Lee County: AlertLee

For more information, email emergencymanagement@fgcu.edu or visit www.fgcu.edu/emergencymanagement.

FGCU Emergency Management will continue to share preparedness tips and updates throughout the season. Your readiness helps strengthen the safety and resilience of our entire campus community.

Thank you for taking the time to prepare.

Stay safe and wings up!

FGCU is offering free measles (MMR), flu and meningitis vaccines to all interested students, faculty and staff from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 11 at Margaret Antonier Hall (Academic Building 9), Room 222. 

Appointments are not required, but you must bring your photo ID with you. 

The clinic is hosted by the Florida Department of Health in Lee County in collaboration with Student Health Services. 

Additional information can be found on Eagle Link. If you have any questions, contact Cherise Schmitt at cschmitt@fgcu.edu or (239) 590-7447.  

Dear FGCU Employees,

The number of measles cases is rising nationally and across Florida, with the Florida Department of Health recently confirming cases at Ave Maria University in Collier County. While there are currently no reported cases at FGCU, we want to keep you informed.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes – particularly in communities where individuals are not fully vaccinated. 

To help keep you and our campus healthy, FGCU strongly encourages the following precautions

• Check that you’re up to date on the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. The Florida Department of Health is providing MMR Immunizations at no cost to all residents. View details online.
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Stay home and seek care if you feel sick. Make sure you stay in contact with your supervisors about any absences.

Attached to this email is an email that was shared with students today, providing them with resources and guidance. If you encounter a student who shares concerns of having symptoms or possible exposure to measles, please share this information with them.

Thank you for helping support a healthy campus environment for our students, faculty and staff.

Dear FGCU Students,

The number of measles cases is rising nationally and across Florida, with the Florida Department of Health recently confirming cases at Ave Maria University in Collier County. While there are currently no reported cases at FGCU, we want to keep you informed.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads quickly through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes – especially in areas where people are not fully vaccinated. 

To ensure your health and the safety of others, we strongly encourage you to take the following precautions:

1. Check Your Vaccination Status: Make sure that you are up to date on the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. If you don’t know your vaccination status, contact your healthcare provider or Student Health Services’ Immunization department at (239) 590-1254. The Florida Department of Health is providing MMR Immunizations at no cost to all residents. View details online.
   
2. Know the Symptoms: Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and a red rash. If you have symptoms, seek medical attention immediately and avoid group gatherings.
3. Practice Good Hygiene: Wash your hands frequently with soap and water and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
4. Stay Home if Unwell: If you feel unwell or think you may have been exposed to measles, stay home and consult your physician or contact Student Health Services at (239) 590-7966 prior to visiting the clinic. You can also schedule a sick appointment through the Student Health Portal.
5. Absences: If you need to stay home, keep your instructors informed and provide medical documentation if needed to explain absences from class and required meetings. Students with extended absences (five days or more) may request assistance with a Class Absence Notice Request from Student Care Services.

Your health and safety on campus is our top priority. Thank you for doing your part to keep our campus safe and healthy.

Dear FGCU Community, 

Today is the start of Florida Severe Weather Awareness Week – a week-long campaign led by the National Weather Service and the Florida Division of Emergency Management to promote preparedness for severe weather emergencies. Educational events run through February 6 and focus on the following topics:

• Monday: Lightning
• Tuesday: Marine Hazards and Rip Currents
• Wednesday: Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
• Thursday: Hurricanes and Flooding
• Friday: Temperature Extremes and Wildfires 

A statewide tornado drill is scheduled 10 a.m. Wednesday. While FGCU is not conducting a tornado drill, the university’s Emergency Management team is offering a virtual information session for students, faculty and staff to review tornado safety and FGCU’s Emergency Response Guide. Campus safety and preparedness are a shared responsibility, and the guide helps our community stay informed and resilient. 

Details about the virtual session and registration are available on Emergency Management’s website. 

The following resources can help you prepare for and respond to severe weather in Southwest Florida:

• FGCU Emergency Management: Learn about personal preparedness planning
• Florida Division of Emergency Management: Resources for Florida’s Severe Weather Awareness Week
• Regional Emergency Management Offices in Southwest Florida
• Charlotte County
• Collier County
• Glades County
• Hendry County
• Lee County

Being prepared, alert and vigilant helps protect both ourselves and others on campus.

Stay safe!

Good afternoon,

FGCU Emergency Management is monitoring a significant Arctic cold blast expected to impact Southwest Florida this weekend, with the harshest impacts to be felt Saturday evening into Monday morning. Widespread below-freezing temperatures are expected, with “feels-like” temperatures (wind chill) likely to drop the air temperature to the 20s or upper teens on Sunday morning.

While there are no changes in campus operations, we want to make sure our students and employees are planning ahead for the complex range of hazards the Arctic front could cause, including freeze conditions, icy surfaces and an increased risk of fire or infrastructure impacts. 

Advance awareness and simple preventive steps will reduce the chance of avoidable incidents. Consider the best practices outlined in the following graphic or visit weather.gov/wrn/winter-storms-sm.

You can also sign up for emergency notifications in the county you reside in:

• Charlotte County: Alert Charlotte
• Collier County: Alert Collier
• Glades County: AlertGlades
• Hendry County: Emergency Alert Program 
• Lee County: AlertLee

Campus Safety and Operational Reminders

Remember to dress in layers, avoid being outside too long and protect your lungs by wearing a mask or scarf when outside. If space heaters are used:

• Keep at least 3 feet of clearance around heaters
• Plug heaters directly into wall outlets (do not use extension cords or power strips)
• Turn heaters off when unattended

Stay warm and stay safe, Eagles!

Good morning, Eagles!

With the fall semester about to begin, we want to remind you about the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, as it runs from June 1 to November 30. Typically, most hurricane activity is observed between August and October, with a season peak in September. 

This is a good time to remind the FGCU community how important it is to be prepared and stay informed. FGCU Emergency Management, with campus leadership, is committed to keeping you informed about storms that may have a potential impact on our campus and local region.  

FGCU Emergency Management is continuously monitoring the weather through trusted sources, such as the National Hurricane Center, and works closely with Lee County Emergency Management and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. The university will keep you informed through RAVE (Eagle Alert), RAVE Guardian Eagle App, FGCU Update emails, social media and website updates.  

Below are tips and resources to guide your preparation as well as information on how to sign up for emergency notifications. 

Prepare Now

• Know your evacuation zone:    
• Charlotte County
• Collier County
• Glades County
• Hendry County
• Lee County
• Create a preparedness plan
• Learn what to pack in your disaster supply kit  
• Make an evacuation plan that is close to home 
• Prepare for your pet
• Consider family members with special needs, including those with health conditions and disabilities  
• Review the FGCU Emergency Response Guide

Emergency Communication

• Download the RAVE Guardian Eagle App and add up to two additional emails and phone numbers, such as immediate family members, to receive FGCU emergency notifications and timely warnings. 
• Update your cell phone and emergency contact information in Workday (employees) or the Office of the Registrar (students).
• Sign up for alert notifications in the county you reside: 
• Charlotte County: Alert Charlotte
• Collier County: Alert Collier
• Glades County: AlertGlades
• Hendry County: Emergency Alert Program 
• Lee County: AlertLee

For additional information, email emergencymanagement@fgcu.edu or visit fgcu.edu/emergencymanagement.

Please send questions about this email to FGCUupdate@fgcu.edu. The FGCU Update email account is operated by University Communications & Media Relations, in coordination with FGCU Emergency Management.

Stay safe, Eagles!

Good afternoon, 

To ensure FGCU’s emergency door locking system is working properly, Emergency Management and the University Police Department are conducting a test from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Saturday, August 9.

During this time period, you will not be able to enter electrified doors, but traditional key access will remain available. Because the test is occurring on Saturday morning, it is unlikely to disrupt activities around campus.

Should you need assistance accessing a building during the test, contact UPD at (239) 590-1900.

Campus will be notified via FGCU Update when the test is complete.

Please send questions about this email to FGCUupdate@fgcu.edu. The FGCU Update email account is operated by University Communications & Media Relations, in coordination with FGCU Emergency Management.

Good morning, 

The test of the FGCU emergency notification systems has been completed. We thank you for being patient as we reviewed our systems to make sure they are functioning properly.

If you did not receive a text alert on your cell phone, now is the time to verify that your cell phone is listed correctly in Workday (employees) and in the Office of the Registrar (students).

For additional questions concerning the test, contact Emergency Management at emergencymanagement@fgcu.edu.

Good morning, 

FGCU is conducting a test of its emergency notification systems from 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. today, including a lockdown test to evaluate the locking mechanisms on all electrified doors to buildings across campus, making them inaccessible from the outside.

As a reminder, there will be two phases to the alert testing process:

• Phase 1: From 8:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., FGCU will test of all alert and notification tools, including:
• RAVE Guardian Eagle App Alert
• FGCU websites
• LYNXIconPro
• Social media
• Outdoor sirens
• Screen Cloud
• MyFGCU App
  
  
• Phase 2: From 8:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., FGCU will test electrified doors with direct access to the outside. Students and employees should plan their arrival times to campus with the testing window in mind.

If you need assistance accessing a building during the lockdown test due to a disability, contact Adaptive Services at (239) 590-7956.

Attached is copy of the campus message from July 28 with more information on the testing schedule. We will notify the campus community when the test is complete.

Good morning, Eagles.

Power has been restored to Ben Hill Griffin and Howard halls, and both buildings will be open today for normal operations. The campus network outage has also been resolved, and all systems are functioning normally across campus.