Chief Pepin not only offered good advice, he provided additional information that some residents may not be aware of as well. For example, it was previously recommended that residents store enough supplies to last at least 72 hours. That recommendation was recently increased to at least 96 hours for a number of reasons. Fire Chief Dwight Pepin explains that our valley could become quite isolated should a large scale earthquake strike. If our bridges were to become severely damaged it would slow down rescue and recovery operations. Some very sound advice of Chief Pepin is to prepare to be on your own for at least 4 days. Since the tsunami in Indonesia the question has arisen regarding what the effect would be in our Valley if one were to strike our coast. Although rare, Pepin explained that the wave would not reach us directly; it could cause the Santa Ynez River to swell, causing localized flooding.
Planning for your family
Plan and conduct drills including the Duck, Cover and Hold drill. If you have children, know what your schools emergency plans are and how often they practice drills. Have a designated meeting place in case all of you are not able to make it back to your home. Have a contact person who lives outside of the area that everyone in the family can phone for accountability reasons. Make sure you have enough supplies to last at least 4 days and a second supply kit in your car. Chief Pepin also explains that most people underestimate the amount of water needed and says “3 to 4 gallons per person, per day” is the recommendation. You will need extra water for cooking and sanitary needs.
Make sure everyone in your family knows where the gas shut off valve is. Stay away from downed lines, even if you think they are not energized. Move away from brick fireplaces. “Brick fireplaces usually have no reinforcement,” advises Pepin. Most people tend to run outside, however, is that the safest action to take? Not necessarily says Pepin, “Most earthquake injuries are caused from outside debris.” You should survey the structure you are in before deciding whether to stay inside or find a safe spot out doors. Outside dangers include electrical wires, building debris and falling trees.
Community Planning
You should not only have a plan for yourself and your family, you should also coordinate with neighbors and others in your community. As Chief Pepin explains, “You will be depending on each other.” People in your community, friends or neighbors will be helping to check homes and account for the people who belong to them. They also will be counting on you, if you are able, to help account for them. Another reason to involve your neighbors is that in the event of a large quake, rescue teams will be limited and will prioritize their activities where they are needed most. Pepin explains, “It may take us a while to get you.” Asked about Solvang’s emergency plan, Chief Pepin explains that they have created a grid map that breaks the area down into four sections. One truck will be sent to each section to survey damage and report back, which then enables them to start prioritizing. Our immediate resources will be limited until outside help arrives.
There are other things you need to consider as well. If you have children, be aware of their school’s emergency plans. In case of displacement you should know where the nearest shelter is located in your community. For example, Solvang residents would go to the Veterans Memorial building. The Red Cross often provides health and safety classes in and around the Valley, including CPR classes at the Solvang Fire Department. One idea is to sign up the entire family and make it a family affair. These life saving skills could literally save the life of a family member, neighbor, or yourself. You can view the class schedules at: http://www. sbredcross.org/classes/safety.htm.
Please Don’t
We often hear and read about what to do, but what about the don’ts? Here are some interesting bits and pieces of what not to do.
Don’t light a fire; wait until the possibility of gas leaks have been cleared.
As mentioned earlier, don’t run outside; use caution, check for downed lines, fallen trees and loose building debris before heading out the door.
Don’t use your cell phone; as hard as it is, please refrain unless you are seriously injured, otherwise you will contribute to an overload of the system and a severely injured person will not be able to call for help. Instead, use the designated meeting place.
If you have children in school, follow the school’s emergency plan.
Don’t leave your workplace or school without telling someone or it may cause rescue crews to search for you unnecessarily.
Most importantly, don’t panic.
Okay, I don’t know about you, but that last one is the most difficult.
Chief Pepin covered a wealth of information
and it was quite surprising how
much planning is actually involved. This
is why you can’t have too many drills,
discuss with family too often, or stock up
on too many supplies. For more information,
please visit the supply checklist
and Internet resources at the