Florida State University students who live off campus sought shelter at their school this morning, ahead of Hurricane Helene’s expected landfall later today as a destructive Category 3 or 4 storm.
FSU opened a refuge facility for off-campus students at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center this morning, where students with backpacks, white garbage bags full of belongings, suitcases and pillows began to stream in as rain fell.
“I was going to stay at my apartment, but as soon as it turned into Category 4, I decided to come over here,” Pranav Sahani, a senior who lives in an apartment in the area, told NBC News. “I’ve been in hurricanes in Florida before, but not a Category 4.”
He brought a full backpack, blanket, food and “a bunch of video games” with him, he said.
Sahani, 26, said that as the storm picks up later today, he felt he would be safer at the school refuge center than at home.
“I trust this building more than my apartment,” he said.
Sophomores Maya Malouin and Nitya Katwala were afraid of losing power at their apartment and sought shelter on campus after their roommates also left ahead of the storm.
“There’s going to be security here, police. It feels safer,” Malouin, 19, said.
James Wass, a junior, said he decided to leave his apartment after seeing that the storm could reach Category 3 or 4 and seeing his parents being very concerned for his safety.
“I don’t want them to worry about me,” he said.
Wass considered driving to Gainesville but chose to move on campus instead.
He said he has seen big storms during his time at FSU but “not a hurricane like this.”
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said that the city is making preparations to secure everyone’s safety, including its large population of students from Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee State College.
“We have a student population of about 70,000” and have been working with those institutions, Dailey said. “Yesterday, they shut down the college campuses. We have encouraged the students to go home to be safe. Those students that will be remaining, we have great shelters in place where they can also go to be safe.”
Dailey said he had been in touch with both the governor’s office and the White House ahead of the storm.
