Campus & community, Campus news, Events at Berkeley

Emergency-prep ‘ShakeOut’ set for Thursday

By Public Affairs

On Thursday, Oct. 15, the UC Berkeley campus will participate in the “Great California ShakeOut,” a statewide day of events designed to encourage Californians to prepare for major earthquakes and other emergencies.

At 10:15 a.m, campus warning sirens will sound. Members of the campus community are encouraged to practice sheltering under a desk and holding tight. Instructors and students in class need not participate in this exercise.

For the ShakeOut, the campus will practice other key aspects of emergency-response and evacuation procedures.

At Durant Hall, occupants will practice “drop, cover and hold on” at 10:15 a.m., then evacuate the building to test building emergency procedures, including departmental roll call.

Radio communication between campus building coordinators and emergency management area coordinators will also be tested.

LucyJones100

This summer’s Hollywood block-buster San Andreas — depicting a devastating California temblor — was both “very bad seismology” and a rare teaching moment for U.S. Geological Survey science adviser Lucy Jones, who live-tweeted the red-carpet premiere and separated fact from fiction in a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session.

The USGS seismologist will offer a pair of Hitchcock Lectures on campus Wednesday, Oct. 14 (“Imagining America Without Los Angeles,”), and Thursday, Oct. 15 (“The Challenges of Science Communication”).

Both free talks, sponsored by the Graduate Division, are set for 4:10 p.m. in Chevron Auditorium, International House, 2299 Piedmont Ave.

A key component of the campus emergency response, this system is designed to strengthen the ability to effectively and efficiently facilitate a campuswide evacuation.

3 tips poster
Click on image to read and download a PDF.

A free emergency-preparedness mobile app — offering Berkeley-specific tips and guidance for earthquakes, power outages, and other situations — is available from the campus Office of Emergency Management.

Visit the OEM website for download instructions and other emergency-related resources.

Members of the campus community are also encouraged to sign up for WarnMe text alerts via the WarnMe website. Because text messages are the fastest way to receive notification in an emergency, it’s recommended that they be designated as one’s first alert priority.