Polk State is monitoring Tropical Storm Milton
Polk State College is monitoring Tropical Storm Milton and encourages all students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to stay connected for updates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the College.
As of 5 p.m. Saturday, Tropical Storm Milton was in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico and moving north-northeast. It is forecast to remain over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night, move across the south-central Gulf of Mexico on Monday and Tuesday, and approach the west coast of the Florida by midweek. The tropical storm is forecast to become a hurricane Sunday night, and it could become a major hurricane while it moves across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Governor DeSantis has issued an Executive Order in advance of the storm, declaring a state of emergency in 35 counties including Polk. The College will continue to monitor the storm but at this time it is too soon to know of any impacts to College or collegiate high school operations. Updates will be provided on polk.edu and social media.
Polk State urges everyone to sign up for AlertPolk and monitor messaging from Polk County Emergency Management, Florida Division of Emergency Management, and the National Hurricane Center.
College officials also encourage students, faculty, and staff to ensure their contact information in Passport is up to date to receive emergency alerts from Polk State. Students should check under “My Details” and employees should check under “Personal” and “Change Contact Info.” Numbers entered in the “Cellular Number” field in the “Personal Information” section will be used for emergency voice and text messages. Although the College has recently transitioned from Passport to the Polk Portal for registration and financial aid, it is important to note that the emergency notification system is still connected to Passport, which remains accessible to students, faculty, and staff at this time.
Additionally, individuals are encouraged to review information on the Polk County Emergency Management website regarding emergency preparedness, emergency and special needs shelters, and more.