{
  "id": "2017-09-07-fsu-hurricane-irma",
  "slug": "fsu-hurricane-irma-2017-09-07",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Florida State University",
    "shortName": "FSU",
    "state": "FL",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "FSU ALERT",
    "enrollment": 41700
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2017-09-07",
    "endDate": "2017-09-15",
    "type": "hurricane",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "headline": "Campus stays closed beyond the state's mandate over fallen-tree and power-outage risk",
    "headlinePublic": "Campus stays closed beyond the state's mandate over fallen-tree and power-outage risk",
    "summary": "On Thursday, September 7, 2017, [Florida State University](https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2017/09/07/update-hurricane-irma/) announced its main Tallahassee campus and all branch campuses would be closed Friday, September 8 through Friday, September 15 (a week-long closure) in response to [Hurricane Irma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Irma). Governor Rick Scott had ordered all state universities to close ahead of the storm to ensure shelter capacity. FSU's closure extended beyond the gubernatorial mandate due to concerns about post-storm power outages, fallen trees, and continuing wind impact in the Tallahassee area, as warned on the FSU ALERT system at [alerts.fsu.edu](https://alerts.fsu.edu/)."
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": false,
      "sourceUrl": "https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2017/09/07/update-hurricane-irma/",
      "sourceDescription": "FSU News: UPDATE Hurricane Irma (Sept 7, 2017 closure)",
      "annotations": [],
      "timestamp": "2017-09-07T21:30:00-04:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-07T21:51:55-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Hurricane Irma: FSU TO CLOSE FRIDAY THRU MONDAY. Go to http://alerts.fsu.edu for information.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/905971931114962945",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 93,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 3,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-09T11:04:34-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Hurricane Irma: Go to http://alerts.fsu.edu for the latest information from FSU.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906533799063777281",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official @FSUAlert status 906533799063777281",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ],
      "characterCount": 80
    },
    {
      "sequence": 4,
      "type": "update",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": false,
      "sourceUrl": "https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2017/09/07/update-hurricane-irma/",
      "sourceDescription": "FSU News: UPDATE Hurricane Irma (Sept 9, 2017 extension)",
      "annotations": [],
      "timestamp": "2017-09-09T13:45:00-04:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 5,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-09T14:02:53-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "FSU Closure Extended Thru FRI Sept 15 - go to http://alerts.fsu.edu for details.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906578671497965570",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 80,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 6,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-09T16:41:10-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Hurricane Irma: FSU Facility opening Sunday for off-campus students. Go to http://alerts.fsu.edu",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906618505390317569",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 96,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 7,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-10T17:07:11-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Leon County announced nighttime curfews Sept 10, 11, 12 9pm-7am. See http://wtxl.com for more info.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906987438999871488",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 99,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 8,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-10T20:15:32-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Shelter now before storm conditions worsen: 9pm Curfew to be in Effect go to http://alerts.fsu.edu.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907034838481248257",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 99,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 9,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-11T06:55:17-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Hurricane Irma: Continue to shelter in place. Go to http://alerts.fsu.edu.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907195840313225216",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 74,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 10,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-11T13:47:02-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Hurricane Irma: FSU Shelter in Place directive lifted. Go to http://alerts.fsu.edu for details.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907299457909235712",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 95,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 11,
      "type": "all-clear",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-12T07:47:48-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Hurricane Irma: ALL CLEAR http://alerts.fsu.edu",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907571444707495936",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 47,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 12,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2017-09-14T12:14:04-04:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "UPDATE I-75 TRAVEL ADVISORY: The Florida DOT reports Interstate 75 in north Florida will remain open. Go to http://alerts.fsu.edu for info",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/908363226521460736",
      "sourceDescription": "@FSUAlert on X (verbatim)",
      "characterCount": 138,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered full official alert text from @FSUAlert on X",
        "Corrected to exact fxtwitter display text."
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 13,
      "type": "all-clear",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": false,
      "sourceUrl": "https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2017/09/07/update-hurricane-irma/",
      "sourceDescription": "Reconstructed from FSU News reopening announcement issued Friday September 15, 2017",
      "annotations": [],
      "timestamp": "2017-09-15T14:00:00-04:00"
    }
  ],
  "context": "[Florida State University](https://emergency.fsu.edu/services/about-fsu-alert-emergency-notification-warning-system) operates the FSU ALERT emergency notification system, delivering messages by text, email, and the @FSUAlert X/Twitter handle. Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that made first U.S. landfall in the Florida Keys as Category 4 (130 mph) at 9:10 AM EDT on September 10, 2017, and second landfall at Marco Island as Category 3 (115 mph) at 3:35 PM EDT the same day, prompted [Governor Rick Scott to direct all Florida state universities, state colleges, and public K-12 schools to close](https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2017/09/07/update-hurricane-irma/) from Friday September 8 through Monday September 11. FSU's initial closure matched that gubernatorial directive. As Irma's track shifted west and the storm tracked up the Florida peninsula as a tropical storm, Tallahassee (in the Panhandle, approximately 100 miles west of the eventual storm track) experienced sustained tropical-storm-force winds, widespread tree damage, and prolonged power outages. FSU [extended its closure through Friday, September 15](https://www.wctv.tv/content/news/FAMU-FSU-keeping-a-close-eye-on-Hurricane-Irma-442900643.html), five days beyond the gubernatorial mandate. All FSU campuses (Tallahassee, Panama City, and the FSU Real Estate Center in Sarasota) were closed; the FSU/FAMU football Classic scheduled for September 9 was canceled. Classes resumed Monday, September 18, 2017. The week-long closure is one of the longest hurricane-related FSU shutdowns in modern history, exceeded only by the COVID-19 closure of 2020. The Irma response established the FSU ALERT template later used for [Hurricane Michael in 2018](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Michael) (which devastated the FSU Panama City branch) and for the 2024 Helene/Milton sequence.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "FSU closed all campuses Friday September 8 through Friday September 15, 2017, a 10-calendar-day closure that is one of the longest hurricane-related FSU shutdowns in modern history",
    "The initial Friday-through-Monday closure matched Governor Rick Scott's directive to all Florida state universities; FSU extended five additional days based on Tallahassee tree damage and power-outage risk",
    "All FSU campuses (Tallahassee, Panama City, and the FSU Real Estate Center in Sarasota) were included; the FSU/FAMU football Classic on September 9 was canceled",
    "Tallahassee experienced its strongest sustained winds Monday night September 11 as Irma passed approximately 100 miles to the east as a tropical storm",
    "Classes resumed Monday, September 18, 2017 — 10 days after initial closure",
    "The Irma response established the FSU ALERT template later used for Hurricane Michael (2018) (which devastated the FSU Panama City branch) and for the 2024 Helene/Milton sequence"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "UPDATE: Hurricane Irma - Florida State University News",
      "url": "https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2017/09/07/update-hurricane-irma/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "FSU Alert",
      "url": "https://alerts.fsu.edu/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "FSU Alert (@FSUAlert) on X",
      "url": "https://x.com/fsualert?lang=en",
      "type": "social-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "About the FSU ALERT Emergency Notification & Warning System",
      "url": "https://emergency.fsu.edu/services/about-fsu-alert-emergency-notification-warning-system",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "FAMU, FSU keeping a close eye on Hurricane Irma (WCTV)",
      "url": "https://www.wctv.tv/content/news/FAMU-FSU-keeping-a-close-eye-on-Hurricane-Irma-442900643.html",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Hurricane Irma (Wikipedia)",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Irma",
      "type": "encyclopedia"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma initial seq4",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/905971931114962945",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma update seq5",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906578671497965570",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma update seq6",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906618505390317569",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma update seq7",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906987438999871488",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma update seq8",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907034838481248257",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma update seq9",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907195840313225216",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma update seq10",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907299457909235712",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma all-clear seq11",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/907571444707495936",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert Irma update seq12",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/908363226521460736",
      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@FSUAlert 906533799063777281",
      "url": "https://x.com/FSUAlert/status/906533799063777281",
      "type": "official-social"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "hurricane",
    "hurricane-irma",
    "campus-closure",
    "florida",
    "tallahassee",
    "fsu-alert",
    "2017-hurricane-season",
    "public-r1",
    "gubernatorial-directive"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-14",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-20",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}