Increasing Wellnessby

Reducing Risks

IntroductionIntroduction

• Rae ShepherdWellington Elementary

PTA: Emergency Preparedness Chair

(A School Preparedness Guru)

• Carol DunnDisaster Risk Reduction SpecialistCity of Bellevue

Emergency Preparedness Division

Red Cross DSHR

Wellington Parent

Before Before talking talking

DisastersDisasters

Have to talk Have to talk about our about our

brainsbrains

“C’est la vie”

“What will be will be”

"You just take the good with the bad. You got to go somehow...So why not under six feet of mud?“*

“Have faith, Opi! God is good!”**

*Seattle Times: Orting Resident on risk from volcano**NY Times: “The Day of the Tsunami” 9/30/09

So our systems block out future risk

Photo by bitboy

• Life was simpler then

hmmmm

Subconscious prehistoricwiring isn’t necessarily

our friend

University of Washington Neptune Project

Best thing about earthquakes:

We have a say about almost everything.

Except when it will happen.

Every problem has a solution

EarthquakesEarthquakes

• Subduction– 5 minutes: we will feel

shaking about 2 minutes

– Region wide damage

– Highest buildings have largest problems

– Likely to generate tsunami/seiche

– Aftershocks likely

Earthquakes: Earthquakes: Deep/ Benioff ZoneDeep/ Benioff Zone

• 2001 Nisqually• Usually every 20-50

years• Lasts about 20-30

seconds• Effects most of Area• Moderate Shaking

Earthquakes: ShallowEarthquakes: Shallow

• Lasts about 20 seconds

• Very intense localized shaking

• 1,100 years ago: with Elliot Bay Tsunami

• Aftershocks likely

How are we mapped compared to the fault?

What is the school doing to be ready

Did you know?

• …that the supplies used in an emergency by the student of Wellington Elementary are funded by the PTA?– Storage shed– Emergency backpacks in the rooms– Search and Rescue backpacks– Radios – yeah team!

Procedures

• Chain of Command – 3 deep

• Evacuation maps

• Missing child and crisis response

• Shelter in place

• 3 Days of supplies– Food, water, shelter, sanitation and first aid

Rotated and updated

Training

• Woodinville Fire and Life Safety

– Search and Rescue for Staff

• Northshore School District– Fire drills

– Lock down drills

– Earthquake drop and hold

• Wellington– Missing child and crisis response

– Walk through of utility shut off – no gas on campus

Student Release Procedure

• Remain Calm – help us help the children• Go to one of 2 entrances to find designated

staff person• Receive direction to reunification table• Verification of authorization will occur –bring

valid ID• Proceed to waiting area• Reunited with child• Exit campus

Communication is Key

• Make sure Emergency Contact list is current.– Check phone numbers and contacts for accuracy– Have one out of state phone contact– No one can take your child off the school campus

unless they are listed as an Emergency Contact– If you wish to help out after an emergency, a

completed, up to date volunteer form needs to be on file in the office

– Current volunteer application –don’t wait for a field trip!

Communication is Key

• Share your emergency plan with your child– If your child know what the plan is, she will be calmer and

more prepared if an emergency happens at school

– Remind your child the school has procedures to help keep them safe and cared for

– If your child takes medication, make sure medical history is updated and talk to the school nurse. Have a 3-day emergency supply at school in case of an event that causes student to remain for an extended period.

Some truths we need to realize

• We have to teach ourselves how to identify and reduce risks.

We need to realizeWe need to realize

Each thing we can keep from going wrongEach thing we can keep from going wrong

will be one less thing that goes wrong.

We need to realize

• There is no risk that can’t be reduced

We need to realizeWe need to realize

• Since we live where earthquakes happen we can’t only think about gravity when we place objects

We can avoid We can avoid injuriesinjuries

• Heavy objects placed high become projectiles during earthquakes

We need to RealizeWe need to RealizeMost fixes pretty easyMost fixes pretty easy

We need to RealizeWe need to Realize

• That we may not have access to stores, medicine, etc. on short notice & for a long time

• Emergency information broadcast on:– radio.

• 2-1-1 (multiple languages)• Internet: www.RPIN.ORG

Best: low, wood --Bolted to Best: low, wood --Bolted to FoundationFoundation

Pretty good in most Pretty good in most earthquakesearthquakes

Not great in Subduction zone quakes

Worst for earthquakesWorst for earthquakes

Worst: Un-reinforced brick (recognized by levels of brick ends)

Not very good: reinforced bricks (recognized when all bricks show their sides)

Not very good: Retrofitted masonry (recognized by the added bolts)5 out of 6 were damaged during the 2001 Nisqually Quake

Unreinforced MasonryUnreinforced Masonry

Bad for Quakes: Soft StructuresBad for Quakes: Soft Structures

I’m in a ‘bad’ building!I’m in a ‘bad’ building!• Retrofit

– Anchor masonry to wood– Add Framing

• Still will be risks

• Rebuild– Create a new safer building

• Lose character and feeling of history

• Relocate– Currently located in one of the most dangerous

parts of the city• Lose character and history

Pledge to take it seriously!

• Literally: write down a statement to remind you that you want to act-put it where you can see it.

• Reward every step forward!!

Questions?

• Carol– carol@tvorun.com