Geology club hosts panel as ‘the big one’ looms

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Occidental Geology department chair Dr. Chris Oze recounts his numerous firsthand experiences with major earthquakes. Taken at Occidental College on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. Miles Koupal/The Occidental

In response to the growing certainty in the scientific community regarding the likelihood of a 6.7+ magnitude earthquake in Southern California, Occidental Geology Club hosted an Earthquake Safety Panel Oct. 25. Upon entering, guests received an emergency supplies checklist and an earthquake fact sheet. Panelists included contributor to the Great ShakeOut Event and current Customer Success Strategist at One Concern Debbie Weiser ’08, Geology professor and Department Chair Chris Oze and Occidental’s Environmental Health and Safety manager Hilary Polak. Eddy Dabsys (senior) and Fiona Pedrick (junior) — two geology majors — asked questions for the panelists. The panel discussed earthquake safety for Occidental students and the plans currently in place for when one strikes.

Fiona Pedrick (junior) asks the panelists about specific details of earthquake safety at Occidental College on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. Miles Koupal/The Occidental

This panel comes after the testing of a collegewide alert infrastructure. In case of a large earthquake or emergency, there is the Oxy Alert system in place to give every member of the community directions on what steps to take next, according to Polak. The college tested the system throughout campus Oct. 10 at 10:18 a.m. Occidental was one of many participants in the nationwide earthquake drill called the Great ShakeOut. In addition to texts and emails, there are also sirens throughout campus that will be able to deliver emergency response messages.

“We do [the drill] every year. We are trying to start doing it twice a year,” Polak said.

It is important to prioritize earthquake safety and preparedness since Occidental is close to so many faults, including the Hollywood, Raymond, Verdugo and San Gabriel faults, according to Weiser. It is not scientifically possible to predict exactly when the next earthquake in Southern California will occur, according to all three panelists.

Dr. Debbie Weiser ’08 discusses methods of preparing for a major earthquake at Occidental College in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 25th, 2018. Miles Koupal/The Occidental

“Some people think that you can look at [the potential earthquake’s] soil gas and the parameters of the plate around it, but the answer [for predicting earthquakes] is no,” Oze said.

Occidental is overdue for a larger earthquake given the regular intervals of earthquakes in the area, according to Oze. Since scientists are unable to predict with certainty when large earthquakes will occur, they make earthquake forecasts instead. In order to make a prediction, scientists would need the magnitude, timing and specific location of an earthquake, according to Weiser.

“For the greater LA area, there is about a 60 percent chance of a 6.7 magnitude earthquake or greater in the next 30 years,” Weiser said. “In California, in general, there is like a 99.99% chance that there will also be a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in the next 30 years.”

When an earthquake strikes, it is important not to stand under a doorway because the door could close and trap people inside, according to Weiser. Instead, the safest course of action is to look for a desk or a table and hold onto the legs, according to Polak. She said that generally, it is important to think about decorations within dorm rooms and whether or not they are earthquake safe.

“You don’t want to place a picture or a picture frame over your bed, more likely it’s going to fall on you,” Polak said. “So you want to think about your room and really make sure everything is secure.”

An additional item that is crucial to have both in dorm rooms and cars is an earthquake safety kit. This kit should include a couple of gallons of water, food, dry clothes, extra shoes, medication and entertainment or something comforting. According to Polak, Campus Dining has prepared enough food for every member of the Occidental community to remain on campus for at least three days following the earthquake.

Recently, the parking garage has been retrofitted to be earthquake safe, according to Polak. Although Polak said that she does not know what the safest earthquake building on campus is, every new construction project and renovation follows the newest earthquake codes.

“When I was a student here, [Occidental] closed Fowler for over a year and retrofitted the building,” Weiser said. “So, [Fowler] is probably pretty darn safe, even though it is one of the oldest on campus.”

Occidental alumni listen to presentations by a former classmate and Occidental Geology department chair Dr. Chris Oze at Occidental College in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. Miles Koupal/The Occidental

Occidental plans for some members of the Eagle Rock community to come to campus to seek shelter and resources in the event of an earthquake, according to Polak. Although providing survival necessities is crucial, it is also important to have Geology Club members inform the local community about aftershocks and the science behind earthquakes, according to Oze.

“The goal is to help the community regain some sense of normalcy,” Weiser said. “Checking on neighbors and truly being apart of the outside community is important.”

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