earth, wind, and fire: when the campus closes ucsc’s response to the january 2008 storms capt....
TRANSCRIPT
Earth, Wind, and Fire:When the Campus Closes
UCSC’s Response to the January 2008 Storms
Capt. Chris Gaylord
Emergency Planner
UC Santa Cruz Fire Department
Emergency Management at UCSC
Emergency Planner position created in 2006/2007 budget cycle Position began April 2, 2007
Located in campus Fire Department Previously 10% of Assistant Chief’s
position Current position is sworn Captain
Current Crisis Communications
Broadcast e-mail Broadcast voice mail
Does not activate “message waiting” indicator
CityWatch (reverse 911 system) Internally hosted system (physical device
on telephone switch) Limited capacity Has not been fully implemented
Current Crisis Communications
Websites Main webpage
Updated by PIO
Emergency webpage Created in June 2007 Updated by Emergency Planner
Campus status information Post-emergency
information Other status updates
Emergency and non-emergency contact information
General campus emergency procedures
New/updated information
Links to plans, policies and procedures
Information on training programs
Checklists and other information for personal preparedness
The Storm
Campus Status on January 4
Fall Quarter ended December 13. Campus shutdown from December 22
to January 1. Most employees returned January 2. Some extended vacation through week of
December 31.
Students scheduled to return Monday, January 7 for Winter Quarter. Housing reopen at 10:00 AM.
Timeline of Events
Week of December 31 Heavy rain forecast for end of week.
Thursday, January 3 National Weather Service issued Hazardous
Weather Outlook (HWO) at 5:15 PM. 2 to 6 inches of rain. 30 to 45 mph winds with gusts up to 60-75 mph.
Campus emergency webpage updated at 6:45 PM with HWO, forecast information and storm preparedness information.
NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook
A series of strong Pacific storms are impacting the California coast this evening with high surf and high winds. High surf will persist into Sunday morning. Coastal flooding is also possible especially during high tides.
Another strong frontal system will move through the area on Friday. An urban and small stream flood advisory has been issued beginning at 4 AM PST Friday morning. Rainfall totals could easily reach 2 to 6 inches by mid afternoon as the front traverses the area. Higher elevations can potentially see higher totals. Showers will continue Friday night through Sunday.
The first system will bring south to southeast winds 20 to 40 mph with gusts to 55 mph through tonight...mainly along the coast and in the hills. The second...more powerful system will bring even stronger winds to northern and central California. Winds along the coast and valleys will increase tonight to 30 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph possible. Winds in the hills above 1000 feet could possibly gust to hurricane force...75 mph on Friday. Winds will decrease Friday evening.
Issued January 3, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Campus & West Side Facilities
Long Marine Lab Ocean Sciences
Programs Approx. 100 students,
faculty and staff.
2300 Delaware Ave. ITS Division main office Purchasing & other units Approx. 220 staff
2155 Delaware Ave. College Prep Program
office Approx. 50 staff
2901 Mission St. Extension Staff Human Resources
main office Approx. 60 staff
Long Marine
Lab
2300 Delaware
Ave. 2901 Mission St. Extension
Campus Power System
Main feed from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) Two on-campus substations
Slug Sub Merrill Sub
Cogeneration Plants Main plant (Cogen)
Can power most of upper campus
Physical Education Pool (PE Cogen) Limited capacity
Timeline
Friday, January 4 6:57 AM – First storm-related call for
campus fire department . Mutual aid for downed power line off-campus.
Before 8:00 AM – West-side off-campus buildings without power.
8:16 AM – Loss of campus 21kV feed (A-Feeder) from PG&E. Cogen Plant tripped. Total campus power outage.
Timeline (continued)
8:17 AM to 9:01 AM – Fire Department receives multiple storm-related calls. Stalled elevators. Fire alarm malfunctions. Odor complaints from emergency generators.
8:19 AM – Breakers closed re-powering campus.
8:20 AM – Cogen Plant engine restarted. 8:22 AM – Breakers trip again and are re-
closed. Cycle repeated at 8:27, 8:41 and 8:50
Timeline (continued)
8:53 AM – Physical Plant decides to separate A-Feeder from system and pick- up with Cogen Plant engine. Manually sheds Science Library, Baskin
Engineering, and Thimann Labs.
8:55 AM – Pickup of A-feeder successful with load of ~1000 kW.
8:59 AM – Physical Plant notes large phase imbalance on 21kV system.
9:15 AM – Science Library, Baskin Engineering and Thimann Labs - with load up to 1500 kW.
Timeline (continued)
9:29 AM – Fire department dispatched to redwood tree down onto roof of Family Student Housing residential unit.
9:30 AM – Campus administration makes and communicates decision to close campus.
10:30 AM – Started PE Cogen and brought online to 290 kW. A-1 feeder at ~1100 kW.
11:07 AM – 21 kV failure light. 11:24 AM – Several power outages on
PG&E fed buildings.
Timeline (continued)
12:30 PM – PG&E determines imbalance due to blown fuses on a capacitor bank. Low priority due to downed lines throughout
county. Physical Plant decides to power A-feeder as is
all weekend until PG&E fixes the problem Power out at Lower Campus and Emergency
Water station.
Timeline (continued)
Sunday, January 6 10:40 AM – Multiple power system alarms
“Dirty” power from phase imbalance.
12:46 PM – Multiple chillers offline due to phase imbalance. Communications Emergency Generator started to
run chillers and “clean-up” power to data center.
1:20 PM – Communications Emergency Generator shutdown and chillers offline.
2:30 PM – Heat out at multiple residential units due to “dirty” power.
Timeline (continued)
Monday, January 7 0910 – PG&E determines phase imbalance
may be in on-campus system. Physical Plant begins testing transformers
0959 – Physical Plant identifies faulty transformer and reconfigures system.
1019 – Load raised to 2000 kW. 1040 – Load raised to 2300 kW. Campus
back to normal power line-up.
Campus Closure Decision
Reasons: Life safety threats from heavy wind Lack of power to many parts of campus
“Non-essential” employees informed to leave campus (leave with pay). Police Department, Fire Department, Physical
Plant, and limited Information Technology Services employees remained on campus.
Off-campus facilities included.
Few students on campus due to date.
Campus Closure Communication
E-mail & website update. Inaccessible for areas without power.
Telephone. System remained operational
Broadcast voicemail message sent. Calling tree initiated.
From Chancellors office to each Division. From Divisions to each Unit.
Police message trailers. Set-up at each campus entrance.
Unexpected Consequences
Significant number of students, faculty and staff ride Santa Cruz Metro buses. 1/4/08 – 250 students and 171 faculty/staff 1/2/07 – 1,133 students and 396 faculty/staff
Message signs read “Campus Closed”. Metro buses did not enter campus.
Major Communications
Campus closure notification (Jan. 4) Phone calls, broadcast voicemail, 459-INFO, e-
mail and webpages.
Update on power issues (Jan. 6) 459-INFO, e-mail and webpages.
Warning to not use computers (Jan. 7) Broadcast voicemail, 459-INFO, e-mail and
webpages.
Return to normal operations (Jan. 7) Broadcast voicemail, 459-INFO, e-mail and
webpages.
Lessons Learned / Planned Initiatives
Communications Institute mass notification systems.
Planned prior to event. In purchasing process for W.A.R.N. Reviewing other components
Synchronize emergency webpage with PIO resources. Exploring RSS feed or similar technology.
Coordinate with Santa Cruz Metro.
Infrastructure PG&E and Physical Plant have completed some
power system upgrades.
Lessons Learned / Planned Initiatives
Coordination Activation of EOC and other Emergency
Response Plan elements. Formation of Information Technology
Services and Physical Plant DOCs. Student Affairs DOC was partially activated
during initial outage, stood down at closure.
Questions?
Capt. Chris Gaylord
Emergency Planner
UC Santa Cruz Fire Department
(831) 459-2342