News Release | CSULA, Cal State L.A., Los Angeles, Earthquake Preparedness

July 31, 2008

 10 tips for when an earthquake hits

The earthquake that struck the Los Angeles area at 11:42 a.m., July 30, 2008, was a rocking, rolling wake-up call.

While the seismic energy was strongly felt at Cal State L.A., damage on campus was generally limited to a few ceiling tiles falling in Salazar Hall, a little bit of cosmetic plaster chipping in the King Hall Lecture Halls 1 and 2, and a few books rattling off their shelves in the Library. Alarms sounded and buildings were evacuated. A notice went up on the University web site. Buildings were assessed, alarms were reset, and, about 75 minutes later, campus operations were pretty much back to normal.

Of course, as those who experienced the Whittier quake of 1987 or the Northridge quake of 1994 well know, it could have been much worse. It could have been a longer and stronger quake resulting in greater danger and damage. So how can you be more ready next time?

According to Cal State L.A. University Police Chief Greg King, each earthquake or potential crisis offers a unique set of circumstances. Here’s his favorite piece of all-purpose advice:

“Act on what you know, not on what you don’t know.”

Here are ten other helpful things to know if you’re on campus during an earthquake:

1. While the earth is moving: If indoors, drop, cover and hold; get under a heavy table or desk and hold on; or sit or stand against an inside wall. If outdoors, move quickly away from buildings, utility poles and lines, and other structures. Inside or out, continue to protect yourself at all times and be prepared for aftershocks

2. If you are inside, evacuate the building in an orderly fashion as soon as possible as guided by the building coordinator.  Proceed to that building’s designated Evacuation Assembly Area. (It is listed in the Campus Information and Telephone Directory. If unsure, ask Public Safety individuals on scene, identifiable by their yellow shirts or uniforms.)

3. Do not use elevators.

4. Follow instructions of Public Safety officials, building coordinators, your instructors and other authorities.  Once the building is assessed and fire alarms are reset, you will be allowed to re-enter the building.

5. Keep outside pathways clear, including main walkways. This allows emergency vehicles access to key areas. Be cognizant of structures and other potential hazards near you.

6. Use text messages instead of phone calls. When trying to reach others, avoid using phones, particularly cell phones, unless your need is critical. Instead, send text messages or emails. They will be more reliable for you and much less disruptive to the emergency response efforts.

7. Try to stay informed. Depending on circumstances, updated information about the situation will be available from the Cal State L.A. main web page, on campus electronic signs, broadcasts over public-address systems, posted (800) numbers and/or information stations that will be set up on campus.

8. If classes are cancelled, leave campus in an orderly manner; and, if you can help someone else get home, please do. Following an earthquake, Metrolink rail service will be interrupted for an hour and then reduced as inspections are made. It could be suspended much long for repairs. Also, some people may have cars parked in structures that have been rendered inaccessible.

9. If so inclined, volunteer to help by going to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC is near the base of the stairs in Lot 9; Public Safety officials there will log in prospective volunteers and coordinate their deployment based on circumstances.

10. Prepare yourself as an emergency responder. Students may undergo training as a member of the Community Emergency

Response Team (CERT). The next CERT sessions, which are free, are scheduled for March 2009. For details call University Police at (323) 343-3700.

There are many sources for general earthquake-preparedness guidelines. This link goes to a California Office of Emergency Services site that offers the checklists listed below in English and Spanish: http://tinyurl.com/EQ-checklists

OES Earthquake Preparedness Tip Sheets

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Working for California since 1947: The 175-acre hilltop campus of California State University, Los Angeles is at the heart of a major metropolitan city, just five miles from Los Angeles’ civic and cultural center. More than 20,000 students and 200,000 alumni—with a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds—reflect the city’s dynamic mix of populations. Six colleges offer nationally recognized science, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and humanities programs, among others, led by an award-winning faculty. Cal State L.A. is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 12. Programs that provide exciting enrichment opportunities to students and community include an NEH- and Rockefeller-supported humanities center; a NASA-funded center for space research; and a growing forensic science program, housed in the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center. www.calstatela.edu