Fork Union, Virginia - September 4, 2008 - Staff and faculty at Fork Union Military Academy are preparing for the arrival of Tropical Storm Hanna in the coming days. Governor Timothy Kaine today declared a state of emergency in Virginia as agencies across the state have begun making ready for the coming rains and wind.

Lt. Gen. John Jackson, the Academy's President, assures parents that "The staff at FUMA are taking all precautions necessary at this time. Extra food and water supplies are in place, generators have been serviced, and we will adjust sports schedules and team travel as needed. We have dealt with similar events before, but we appreciate your concern and ask for your prayers."

Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to be upgraded to hurricane status prior to reaching the southeast U. S. coast early Saturday. The storm is expected to track northward along the I-95 corridor, weakening as it moves inland. Fork Union is located west of the storm's currently projected path, but school officials are taking no chances as they prepare for the storm.

Academy officials recall that the last hurricane to do any significant damage in the Fork Union area was Hurricane Isabel in September, 2003. That storm caused tree damage and caused losses of power to areas of the campus. Critical operations on campus such as food storage and the Infirmary have independent electric generators and FUMA's staff expect little disruption due to storm conditions. "Our cadets always rise to challenges, and this will be no different," says the Upper School Commandant, LTC Al Ivens.

 

About Fork Union Military Academy
Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia, is a college
preparatory, military boarding school for young men in Grades 6
through 12 and postgraduates. Affiliated with the Baptist General
Association of Virginia and open to those of all religious
denominations, Fork Union was founded in 1898 and has a rich
tradition promoting character, leadership, and scholarship.
Upper School students follow a unique "One-Subject Plan" of
study, concentrating on a single major subject every seven
weeks.