In light of recent seismic activity recorded in the first two months of 2018, Skyline College is preparing for the next big earthquake through drills and new available supplies.

“Drills are really important,” said Cheri Colin, Director of Community Relations and Marketing of Skyline College. “As a district, we work really hard on a continuous basis to be prepared and ways we do that is through basic drills.”

Skyline College engages in the statewide Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are meant to make people aware of their own responses if an earthquake were to happen.

Colin further elaborated on where people can access Skyline College’s emergency guide procedures. The guide can be accessed through the Skyline website under ‘Campus Resources’ and ‘Public Safety’, which include emergency response plans, evacuation assembly area, defibrillator location, and emergency operation plan as well as other emergencies.

When asked if Skyline had any emergency supplies in the event of an earthquake, Colin was able to state that one of the storage facilities is stocked with supplies such as water, food, bunks, etc.

“The district is also investing in what they call ‘Go Bags’,” Colin added. “(They) are backpacks with essential materials in case of an emergency.”

There is no specific date on when these Go Bags would be available, yet they would be accessible in all buildings throughout the campus and to the faculty and staff when a natural disaster hits.

Skyline College Public Safety Captain Jim Vangele, gave his take on Skyline’s earthquake readiness.

“We do regular drills; practice, we have periodicals and regulations that prepare us and keep us reactionary,” Vangele said.

So far, Skyline is attempting to use every means to prepare to earthquakes and other natural disasters.

“We follow state protocols, federal protocols, and just general emergency preparedness,” Vangele said. “Not just with earthquakes but with all kinds of emergencies, so that we are ready to go at any given time.”

In addition, Vangele stated that Public Safety stayed connected with all the local emergency services, police departments, fire departments, local sheriffs, the paramedics, the Office of Emergency Services (OES), FBI, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) .

When approached with the question of whether or not the buildings of Skyline College is built on a solid foundation that will be able to withstand an earthquake, Vangele confidently assured that the school’s foundation is solid.

Steven Anderson, Paralegal Studies major at Skyline College who works in the Veterans Resource Center, was able to share a few words on how he feels about Skyline’s readiness for the next big quake.

Anderson was able to express his unwavered confidence that the school is prepared. “We do fire drills and earthquake drills, a couple of times a semester, I think they have a solid plan if something were to happen,” Anderson said.

“I don’t really think about it. I experienced one a couple of years ago, and it was a small one,” said Anderson. ” I’m more concerned about (California) fires,” Anderson said when approached about how living in California, an earthquake prone state, has effected his way of life.

When questioned as to what improvements Anderson would like to see implemented by the school, Anderson expressed that perhaps the school could make sure that students had their own personal emergency kit composed of food and flashlights.