After Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast, UP addresses disaster preparedness
If an earthquake were to hit campus, Howard Hall would be at risk to collapse, according to environmental safety officer Jeff Rook. Buildings built before 1990 require retrofitting to be ready for a disaster. (Jackie Jeffers | The Beacon)
By Kate Stringer, Staff Writer stringer14@up.edu
When hurricane-turned-winter storm Sandy hit the East Coast last week, it devastated the landscape, causing more than 100 deaths, 7.5 million power outages and $50 billion in estimated damage.
While hurricanes are not a concern for the Portland area, Portland is susceptible to many natural disasters including flooding and volcanic eruptions. However, the most imminent threat is the 9.0 magnitude earthquake geologists predict will hit Portland in the next 250-500 years, said environmental science professor Robert Butler.
The University of Portland has an emergency team and plan to help survival and recovery from natural disasters, such as a major earthquake. But with the risks older buildings pose and thousands of students and faculty to provide for, the University also encourages students to create their own personal emergency plan.
According to Butler, the forecasted earthquake will take place 100 miles offshore with ground shaking that could last from four to six minutes.
"Water - saturated sediments turn to quicksand during shaking, so there would be significant damage along the river," Butler said. "Swan Island...gone. There would be major damage to some areas of downtown Portland."
While UP's campus lies above the river, buildings would still suffer damage from an earthquake, especially the ones that have yet to be upgraded to current building standards. While some older buildings such as Waldschmidt and Shiley have been retrofitted and remodeled, buildings such as Romanaggi Hall and Howard Hall would be at risk, according to Jeff Rook, environmental safety officer.
Buildings constructed in Portland before 1990 were not built to withstand a significant earthquake. Therefore, the entire Portland area must retrofit buildings to increase structural integrity, said Butler.
"Hopefully 20-30 years from now the older buildings on campus will have been retrofitted and they'll be earthquake - resilient buildings. The whole region is going through this," Butler said. "Scientifically we did not have the information that told us about the seismic risk in the Pacific Northwest. We know that now."
According to Rook, seismic codes help buildings fare better in an earthquake but do not guarantee the building's full survival.
Emergency assistance
To better assist the Portland community in the event of an emergency, the University recently acquired a disaster shelter trailer through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The trailer, which will be kept on campus, will hold equipment such as cots and inflatable shelters.
Rook estimates that on any given school day coupled with an athletic event, there can be as many as 10,000 people on campus. To help assist the UP community, Rook helps run a Campus Community Emergency Response Team (CCERT), a group of students, faculty and community members who are trained and certified to assist in case of a disaster such as an earthquake. Since 2007, Rook has trained over 150 individuals.
When responding to an emergency, the team focuses on three main objectives: life, property and the environment.
"We focus on saving as many people as we can as quickly as we can and as safely as we can," Rook said.
Rook offers CCERT training three times a year with class topics ranging from how to safely search inside buildings to the psychology of terror. Currently, 15 students are training to get certified.
Sophomore Margaret Persing signed up for the class because she figured it was better to be safe than sorry when faced with an emergency.
"[I've learned] medical operations, how to splint with random stuff: cardboard, rulers, maxi pads," Persing said. "I learned how many ways you can die on campus - that was really fun."
Self preparedness
However, it's not necessary to get certified to be prepared for disaster. Rook stresses personal preparedness in case of an emergency.
"All our planning won't matter if individuals aren't personally prepared," Rook said.
Public Safety's webpage provides documents on how to handle emergency situations. In the event of an earthquake, it recommends staying inside and dropping underneath sturdy furniture for protection. After the shaking has stopped and it is safe to go outside, students should gather in their residence hall meeting area.
Public Safety uses its emergency notification system of text messages, voicemails, and emails to communicate further information.
Rook encourages students to have a plan regarding how to contact loved ones after disaster strikes. He also recommends students put together an emergency kit to keep in their rooms. Public Safety's website provides resources to help build kits.
Butler believes with more preparation, UP will be ready to face a natural disaster.
"If we're smart and we learn from our mistakes, then we can be more prepared," Butler said.
