Earthquake Safety in the Classroom

Each district and the VCOE have a current Earthquake Disaster Plan and a Comprehensive School Safety Plan. (FA-03–FA-24)

Each EDP requires “duck and cover” drills be conducted each school quarter in elementary schools and at least once a semester in secondary schools. All schools are in compliance with this requirement, except Rio Elementary School District and Santa Paula Elementary School District. (FA-04–FA-24)

Emergency provisions such as food, water, communications, and medical supplies are recommended for all schools. Ojai Unified School District, Santa Clara Elementary School District, and Rio Elementary School District are not in full compliance with this recommendation.(FA-04–FA-24, FA-27)

Each school district and the VCOE indicated that they inspect school rooms on a regular basis for safety hazards. Inspections are conducted by school personnel, VCSSFA, and, at times, by the local fire department. (FA-04– FA-26)

School drills are monitored by school personnel and, at times, by VCOE and/or the local fire department. (FA-04–FA-26) Recommendations

Fillmore Unified School District has 7 schools totaling 3,774 students. The district conducts “duck and cover” drills once a quarter in their elementary schools and in high schools once a semester. They also have a limited supply of food and water and first aid supplies. Classrooms are inspected by school administration, custodial staff, local fire department and VCSSFA.

Hueneme Elementary School District has 11 schools totaling 8,109 students. The district practices “duck and cover” and has emergency provisions. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The District Assistant Superintendent, school principals, District Facilities Director, VCSSFA, and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Mesa Union Elementary School District includes 3 schools with a total of 1,254 students. The district practices “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions for all students. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The District Superintendent, principals, and the VCSSFA monitor and inspect school rooms.

Moorpark Unified School District has 12 schools with a total of 7,208 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions. Each school site has a cargo bin equipped with sufficient supplies to provide shelter, evacuation, first aid, and comfort for all students and staff. Sufficient water is stored at the sites in 325 gallon “water buffaloes.” They have regular inspections of the classrooms. District staff, VCSSFA, and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Mupu Elementary School District has 1 school with 137 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The principal, custodian, and school Earthquake Safety in the Classroom 3 secretary monitor drills and inspect school rooms. The local fire department and VCSSFA inspect school rooms on an annual basis.

Oak Park Unified School District includes 7 schools with a total of 4,002 students. They indicated that they practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. District personnel, VCSSFA and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Ocean View Elementary School District has 4 schools totaling 2,519 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions for their students. Site principals monitor drills. The VCSSFA inspects rooms. The District Safety Committee, Assistant Superintendent-Business Services, Assistant Superintendent- Administrative Services, Superintendent, and the governing board, monitor drills and/or inspections.

Ojai Unified School District (OUSD) has 9 schools with a total of 3,005 students. They practice “duck and cover.” They do not have emergency provisions, such as food, water, communications, or medical provisions for each school. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The District Superintendent, principals, maintenance personnel, and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Oxnard Elementary School District has 21 schools with a total of 15,870 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions for their students. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. Principals, VCSSFA, and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Oxnard Union High School District has 9 schools with a total of 16,642 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions for their students. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The district superintendent and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Pleasant Valley Elementary School District has 12 schools with a total of 7,262 students. The EDP and CSSP plans are revised on an annual basis. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The site principal and the local fire department monitor required drills and inspect school rooms.

Rio Elementary School District has 8 schools with a total of 4,482 students. They practice “duck and cover.” Each school has “water, first aid kit and some rescue equipment.” They have regular inspections of the classrooms. School personnel and VCSSFA monitor and inspect school rooms.

Santa Clara Elementary School District has 1 school with 55 students. They practice “duck and cover” each month. They have water, communications, and medical supplies for the students in case of an 4 Earthquake Safety in the Classroom emergency. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The District Superintendent and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Santa Paula Elementary School District has 7 schools with a total of 3,661 students. Six of the seven schools are in compliance with the “duck and cover” requirement. Corrective action for compliance is being taken at the remaining school. All of the schools in the Santa Paula Elementary School District have emergency bins/containers on site. Items were missing and they are currently in the process of replacing the missing inventory. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The principals and assistant principals monitor the drills. Principals and assistant principals and maintenance personnel inspect each school room. The Santa Paula Fire Department inspects the schools on an annual basis. The district’s three Quality Education Investment Act schools are inspected by a representative from the VCOE on an annual basis.

Santa Paula Union High School District has 2 schools with a total of 1,624 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions for their students. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. School personnel, VCSSFA, and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Simi Valley Unified School District has 29 schools with a total of 19,916 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. School personnel, VCSSFA, and the local fire department monitor and inspect school rooms.

Somis Union Elementary School District has 2 schools with a total of 474 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions for their students. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The District Superintendent, Plant Manager, and the VCSSFA, monitor and inspect school rooms.

Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) has 8 schools with a total of 2,375 students. They practice “duck and cover” and have emergency provisions. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. The VCSSFA and the Risk Manager monitor and inspect school rooms.

Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) has 29 schools with a total of 17,492 students. They practice “duck and cover.” Each site has adequate medical supplies in the nurse’s office. Each site is responsible for evaluating, obtaining, storing, monitoring and restocking all other supplies. The District Office provides each site with recommended supply guidelines from sources such as FEMA and the American Red Cross and funding for these supplies. They have regular inspections of the classrooms. All sites are inspected annually by the VUSD Facilities Department, the Ventura County Fire Department and VCSSFA. Site principals schedule and monitor drills. Earthquake Safety in the Classroom 5

The VCSSFA inspects public school districts in the County, with the exception of Santa Paula Elementary School District. They inspect each site on an annual basis. The larger districts such as Conejo Valley Unified, Simi Valley Unified and Ventura Unified take a longer time; about every eighteen months to inspect. They inspect for hazard identification. Recommendations and corrections are based upon state and federal occupational safety and health regulations, national building and fire codes, and other generally accepted safety practices and procedures.

The Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Ventura Fire Departments inspect schools on a regular basis for compliance with safety codes. Inspections for compliance of safety codes are the same for businesses as they are for schools. Included in these inspections are fire extinguishers, fire alarms and fire sprinkler systems.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross and the Ventura County Emergency Planning Council suggest that basic emergency supplies should include water and food for at least three days for each person. [Ref-05] Findings