Why Disaster Planning?
It's All About Preparation by Pamela McLaren Almost on a daily basis, something happens on a college campus that can be termed a crisis — from a power outage that lasts more than a few minutes to a fire in a building. Occasionally, something happens that affects the campus and its operations, such as a flood or earthquake. In emergency management, anything that affects the normal operations of a campus, calls for an action plan.
CSUF is no exception. On April 23, 2002, a Metrolink train accident in Placentia killed two persons and injured more than 200, including campus employees. Campus personnel responded as support to the community and to the needs of staff members involved in the incident. Three days after the Metrolink accident, a small plane narrowly missed landing on campus, skidding to a stop on the grass at Troy High School. Once again, campus personnel provided a significant level of emergency response. In 2004, students, faculty and staff were evacuated from campus buildings when a suspicious box was found in McCarthy Hall. Although later found to be a hoax, campus and city emergency responders reacted, working in coordination and according to a plan that focused, first and foremost, on the safety of campus community. Even events that aren’t necessarily local can have an effect on campus, such as Sept. 11, 2001. That day, key campus personnel gathered to strategize on the campus response. Late in 2000 and early 2001, the energy situation and rolling blackouts called for select personnel to assess the situation and develop contingency plans. “Emergency preparedness is not just a slogan,” says Quentin Frazier, the campus emergency management coordinator. Hired in 2000, Frazier is responsible for developing and maintaining the campus emergency management plan; coordinating campus response and resource usage with surrounding communities, state and federal organizations; recruiting, training and managing a cadre of volunteers to assist during an emergency; and conducting emergency preparedness seminars.
“The planning and preparation being conducted on campus, whether by the campus emergency management organization, individual campus divisions and departments, or through the emergency responders and volunteer building marshals, are all designed to provide CSUF with the capability to effectively respond and recover from any situation that could occur,” says Frazier. The university’s yearly evacuation drills, training opportunities and other efforts are part of an effort to enhance the awareness and skills of campus members. “Our intent is to keep our people informed and involved. Most emergencies rarely provide advance warning. Preparation is necessary and must be maintained on an ongoing basis.” |
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