Evacuation plan readies UCLA for disasters
New emergency response structure implemented
By Lucia Sanchez
Daily Bruin Staff
You may not know it, but UCLA has a plan.
Specifically, it has an emergency response plan in the event of
another disaster similar to last year’s Northridge earthquake.
As the most expensive natural disaster in the nation’s history,
the earthquake is not one that will soon be forgotten. Different
departments across the campus are trying to take what they learned
from last year to prepare for the future.
"We have made some changes in terms of how the emergency plan is
activated, how we notify campus leadership and there’s additional
information on hotlines that are now available for students and
faculty during a disaster or emergency," explained Dr. Rick
Greenwood, director of the Environmental Health and Safety
department and author of the response plan.
The department has also prepared fliers with emergency response
information, which can be picked up at areas including the
registrar’s office, James West Center, University Research Library
and university police department.
Another response to the quake brought about designated emergency
coordinators within each department who will now help direct
students to evacuation areas in the case of a major disaster.
Although there was a group of emergency volunteers before last
year’s Northridge earthquake, procedures are becoming more
formalized, with department’s coordinators undergoing training in
first aid and search-and-find missions, Greenwood pointed out.
Coordinators will disseminate information from the
administration at evacuation areas. At that time, buildings would
be inspected for safety and, if needed, the university police
department would begin necessary evacuations. Most procedures,
though, depend on the severity of the earthquake, Greenwood
said.
In addition to departmental emergency coordinators, the
university facilities department has an emergency response team
that was also in place last year.
"We have an identified team of about 20 individuals which
include key management, supervisors, and technical staff, including
plumbers, electricians, air conditioner engineers, sheet metal
workers, carpenters and others that responded within an hour and
were on campus," Facilities Manager Jack Powazek said.
"We call the team DIRT (disaster initial response team)," he
continued. "These members come in an initial response to assess the
damage and return utilities back to service, and determine which
areas are damaged and to what extent."
Additionally, two structural engineering firms have been on
retainer since 1989 to assess structural damage on the UCLA campus
without being called in the event of a disaster, Powazek added.
While most facilities procedures continue to be the same, minor
changes have been made.
One of those changes involves the way in which DIRT is called to
campus. A caller initiated computer call-back system automatically
dials the team’s home phone numbers with a pre-recorded message
directing individuals to come to their designated areas.
"We have a provision now to add any specific information and add
dates and times. (The message is) augmented by special comments by
the person triggering the call back," Powazek explained.
There is also a special canister of disaster equipment on hand
in the new co-generator plant away from the facilities building
containing such emergency equipment as shovels, helmets and a small
water supply.
"In the past they (emergency supplies) were distributed
throughout campus," Greenwood explained. "The problem is they
weren’t used and we found that there was a fair amount of
degradation, so we’ve moved those kind of supplies to the energy
services building."
However, some of the changes affecting students the most concern
the dissemination of information.
Instruction sheets detailing emergency procedures will soon be
posted in classes.
And while evacuation areas can be found on the inside back cover
of the Telecommunications university directory, Environmental
Health and Safety is working on another way to help students know
where they are located.
"We’re working on a placard that has glow in the dark printing
so if the power goes out it still gives information," Greenwood
explained. "It gives numbers (to call) for utility outages and 911,
and an outline of the nearest evacuation area."
The department is also developing and revising a series of
emergency action checklists for both university staff and students.
The checklists will include specific pre-emergency action.
Students should note exits and fire alarms, have a personal
emergency plan, keep the phone number of an out of area family
member on hand, as well as have an emergency supply kit, Greenwood
advised.
Students and staff may want to take a step further and learn
life-saving techniques like first aid and CPR.
Information is vital not only for students and staff, but for
the facilities department as well. In order to better coordinate
emergency responses, the department has set up a new emergency
information center.
"We now have special rooms designated as emergency operation
centers. They will be the hub for information and prioritize
(responses)," Powazek explained.
"The building has emergency power, back-up systems for
telephones, computers, faxes, maps, plans, televisions, radios,
water and food, cots," Powazek added. "(We) will direct our troops
from this center."
However facilities is not the only department on campus with
troops.
"All of our (resident assistant) staff is trained to respond to
emergency as well as our (resident director) staff," said Rob
Kadota, Sunset Village area director and co-chair of the Safety and
Security Education Committee. "On-campus staff (custodians, general
managers, front deskers, etc.) are generally trained in evacuation
and general emergency protocols."
The Office of Residential Life moved up passing out their annual
earthquake newsletter this year as a result of the earthquake.
Students were also shown films at the beginning of the academic
school year concerning disaster, Victor Kennedy, UCLA Medical
Center Director of Building and Safety said.
Residential halls are evacuated after large earthquakes in the
same manner of a fire drill. Students are aware of the evacuation
routes because of fire drills, he added.
No major lessons were learned as a result of the Northridge
jolt, and no major changes have been made in the evacuation plans,
Kennedy said.
"One of the things we’ve really tried to push this year is
people taking as much responsibility for their own safety as
possible," he said. "(We) encourage them to make their own
emergency supply kit or buy their own."
Students should not have heavy things piled high, or books
precariously balanced, but rather have emergency kits and be aware
of evacuation routes, Kennedy explained.
Once evacuated, students should remain outside until a trained
professional, such as a structural engineer, says it is safe to
return, he added.
While ORL has not made major changes, the Medical Center learned
a few lessons during last year’s tremor and from a drill Nov.
9.
"One of the main lessons that we learned is that we have to be
as ready to maintain our operations (as possible)," Kennedy
said.
"We have to assume that we may have our own issues to deal
with," he continued. "No. 1 is making sure that we can maintain
providing quality medical care to the community.
"Our utilities have to keep going. It’s more than just the
buildings physically."
As part of their internal incident command system for
earthquakes, the hospital has a plan outlining everyone’s role in
case of a disaster. The details include who must report to whom,
and where the command post is located.
Among the lessons the Medical Center learned was how vital
elevators are for the hospital and the necessity of getting them up
and running as soon as possible.
The Medical Center will now use campus facilities to repair the
elevators if necessary, Kennedy said.
The center also realized that while they had a large supply of
water on hand it was concentrated in one area.
The water supply has since been increased and spread out to
different areas of the hospital.
The hospital now keeps an inventory of equipment and supplies
that may be important to have on hand.
After the earthquake last year the hospital realized it needed
more oxygen cylinders in different areas, and has made changes.
It has also became apparent that incoming staff with children
might need day care services, while others might need a place to
stay and eat. The hospital was able to provide its staff with these
necessities last year and has taken them into account for their
earthquake plan, Kennedy said.
"We responded well here. One thing we learned is that people are
ingenious," he said. "Everyone did what they needed to do."