November 8, 1999 Campus community urged to prepare for emergencies By Francine Tyler When the Loma Prieta earthquake toppled buildings and knocked out power throughout Santa Cruz county ten years ago, it served as a wake-up call to the campus that earthquakes and other emergencies do happen. In response to the quake, the campus updated its campus Emergency Response Plan, which details policies, procedures, and an organizational hierarchy for response to a major emergency. UCSC also improved its Emergency Operations Center at the campus fire station, adding telephone lines, a radio system, and a new generator, said UCSC Fire Chief Chuck Hernandez. Campus units created building-specific disaster plans, and executive staff, building coordinators, and other members of the campus community began participating in emergency training sessions. But faculty and staff should also prepare for emergencies on an individual basis, Hernandez said. Members of the campus community are encouraged to: Be informed about the campus's Emergency Disaster Plan, available on the Web at ehs.ucsc.edu/emplan. Identify your building coordinator, who will act as liaison between unit coordinators and the Emergency Operations Center in the event of an emergency. Know your unit's or building's emergency plan and established evacuation areas. Take important belongings with you (keys, wallet, purse) in case of evacuation. It may be some time before you can re-enter your space to retrieve them. Learn CPR and basic first aid. Develop a plan in advance for contacting family members or having others care for them. Each unit or department should also keep a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and first-aid kit in an easily accessible place, Hernandez said. He also recommends that people tune to KZSC 88.1 FM, call (831) 459-INFO, or log onto www.ucsc.edu for information during an emergency. "Primarily, folks need to realize that in a major emergency, in the first 72 hours all police, fire, and medical services will be completely overwhelmed," said Hernandez. "People will need to depend on their own skills to help themselves and others out of emergencies." For more information, call the UCSC Fire Department at (831) 459-3473 or Environmental Health and Safety at (831) 459-2553. Return to Front Page