SHAKY GROUND

A CSOT EXERCISE IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY

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FPM Response to CSOT on Msg 4

 

Point of Contact: Dave Church

CSOT Department/Area: FPM

To: Janet Ward / CSOT Leadership

In order to set up the 10-15 hour post event (which is a fairly fast evaluation) evaluation of Ashton, Emerson, Gwinn, Hill, and Moyer the University paid Pacific Engineering Technologies several thousand dollars (I don’t not recall the amount but it seems like it was in the neighborhood of $20K) a number of years ago to evaluate these buildings pre-event and establish a baseline building/structure condition.  It is hoped that this will position the University to know a damage assessment and repair estimates and timelines as quickly as possible post event. 

While this is in progress the FPM staff will screen from the exterior the other 45 or so buildings.  Our plans to date have not yet established a priority for this.  The intent would be to get organized (based on observations) so we can work with CSOT and the ECMT based on the initial observations/assessments to determine where we want the engineers to go next.  Several factors will likely go into this that include criticality to University function, damage to infrastructure which could cause more damage if not abated, the University calendar, an administrative priority etc.  It is likely that CIS (as a critical resource for all of us) would be extremely high, probably next, on this list.  These evaluations (beyond the first five) will likely go slower and take a bit more time because they have not been pre-screened to establish baselines.

By the way the first set of building identified above can probably get three thousand people out of the weather.  Gwinn is 1,100 by itself. 

While we may not be able to enter the Science building right away – it has a huge backup generator – and has not lost power for this exercise.  The CIS backup server in that location would have cooling and not be affected.  The one downside to the backup server in the new Science building would be if the University suffered a chemical spill that resulted in explosion or fire.  But even then it may stay operational.  The Science building is a heavy concrete structure with fairly complete backup systems.  I should note though – that Cal Northridge’s Science building burned as a result of chemical spills – but I am not sure of its age or condition.