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ARE YOU READY?
EARTHQUAKE SAFETY
In the San Francisco Bay Area, we live with the threat of earthquakes every day. Whether you
are in your home, in a classroom, a high-rise or another type of building, it is important to
know how to protect yourself. Practice what to do during an earthquake and teach yourself and
your family members to react automatically. If you are outdoors, get into an open area. If you
are indoors, follow these steps: DUCK, COVER, and HOLD. Stay inside until the shaking is over.
BEFORE an emergency occurs, inspect your work and home area to identify potential hazards.
Experience with earthquakes has shown that injuries occur even during moderate earthquakes from
falling or sliding equipment and furniture. Make sure bookcases, and filing cabinets over four
feet tall are secured as they may topple over. Store laboratory instruments, computer disks and
glassware in latched cabinets or on lipped shelves to prevent falling. Rearrange cluttered
storage areas to provide evacuation routes in the event of an emergency. Be aware of your
surroundings. Notify the UCSF Department of Environmental Health & Safety (476-1300) if you have
identified potential hazards in your campus work and living areas.
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS
Personal preparedness is professional preparedness. You are encouraged to take
steps to prepare your families for emergencies. Individuals will be unable or
willing to function professionally at their work site following an emergency,
unless they know their own families are prepared. Christopher Jones, UCSF
Associate Director Homeland Security Emergency Management spent seven years
responding to and coordinating the Federal health and medical response to
disasters. He lends his perspective to personal preparedness for surviving the
next major earthquake in the attached presentation (SOM
News Links.pdf). Click the Comments icon at the upper left corner of the
slides (when present) for his narrative comments.
EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES
Evacuation drills are an important aspect of fire safety and emergency preparedness.
They familiarize you to your work area’s emergency exits and evacuation routes. Most
campus buildings can expect annual evacuation drills, with the exception of the Medical
Center and Langley Porter buildings. The Campus Fire Marshal welcomes the opportunity
to assist you and your building occupants should you have any questions or concerns
regarding fire safety and procedures. Campus Fire Marshal: (415) 476-0570
Evacuation maps, outlining safe routes to emergency exists, are posted on all floors
of every building. Take a moment and think of at least two exit routes from the buildings
you work and live in.
Each Parnassus Campus building has been assigned an Emergency Assembly Area (EAA).
Study your Department’s Emergency Action Plan and become familiar with the EAA assigned
to your building. You are expected to assemble to one of these safe locations following
an evacuation.
State law requires occupants to evacuate a building when the fire alarm sounds. The SFFD,
UCPD, EH&S, Campus Fire Marshal, Facilities Management personnel and Building Floor Wardens
(assigned department staff) are all authorized to order you to evacuate.
WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
The key to surviving any disaster is preparedness and planning:
- VOLUNTEER for emergency training and assignments.
- PARTICIPATE in all fire and evacuation drills that are conducted.
- FOLLOW instructions of emergency personnel and public safety officials during
an emergency incident.
- BE familiar with the locations of fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers
and emergency exits/routes in your usual work and study areas.
- CONTACT your Department Emergency Coordinator and READ your
DEPARTMENT’S EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN. Become familiar with the emergency response procedures.
- REVIEW the green UCSF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES chart posted in campus buildings.
It tells you how to respond to emergency situations, e.g., bombs threats, fire, hazardous
material spills, earthquakes.
EMERGENCY POLICY for PEOPLE
with DISABILITIES
If you are disabled and feel you will need special assistance during an evacuation, inform your
Department Emergency Coordinator so that a volunteer "buddy" can be paired with you to provide
assistance during an evacuation. For more information, refer to the Campus Evacuation Policy
for People with Disabilities.
EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT and SUPPLIES
Departments are responsible for maintaining their own emergency equipment and supplies as described
in the UCSF Emergency Preparedness and Response Program Guidelines. Departments are asked to prepare
an emergency kit: emergency food and water, flash lights and batteries, AM/FM radio/batteries,
first aid kits and any other necessary supplies. It is estimated that we could be on our own for
at least 72 hours after a major incident such as an earthquake. Taking a little time to put together
an emergency survival kit for members of your department could prove very useful. Suggestions for
your personal emergency supply kit are:
- Drinking Water
- Blanket, pillow
- Book, playing cards, etc.
- Band-Aids, other first aid supplies
- Flashlight (with batteries) or light sticks
- Eating utensils, paper plates, cups, can opener
- Quarters for pay phones and out-of-town contact phone numbers
- All foods should be water packed and low-salt whenever possible
- Daily medications, extra eyeglasses and/or contact lens supplies
- Canned foods such as: fruit, juice, canned meats or pastas, soups
- Change of clothes, walking shoes( tennis shoes) with socks, warm jacket
- Safety pins, whistle, pocket knife, toothpaste/toothbrush, shampoo, soap, towel, wash cloth
- Snack foods such as: graham crackers, granola bars, candy bars, dry cereal, raisins or energy snacks
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