On October 20 Napa Valley College and
other colleges throughout California conducted an earthquake drill at 10:20
a.m. as part of the “Great California ShakeOut.”
The intent of the statewide drill was to
increase people’s awareness of how to respond to a major earthquake, according
to Ken Arnold, NVC’s chief of college police. The college’s administration and
instruction council approved and supported the drill which was an opportunity
for faculty, staff and students to practice a campus-wide evacuation.
During the successful drill, the college
opened and operated two emergency assembly areas. The emergency assembly areas
are places that, during an actual large scale emergency/disaster, will be used
to gather information and to give out information about what happened and what
to do.
The college’s volunteer area
coordinators, who have had special training, helped to clear and monitor campus
buildings.
The drill was also a test of the
college’s “AlertU” and email emergency notification systems. More than 2,400
students, faculty and staff are signed up for AlertU which delivers text
messages in case of an emergency.
Following the drill, a “de-briefing” was
held with the college’s Emergency Response Committee and those providing
leadership and staffing for the drill.
Earlier in the week informative programs
were held on campus about earthquakes and disaster preparation.
Posted:10/20/2011