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Earthquakes and Schools

Earthquakes and Schools. The Importance of Damage Prevention and Earthquake Education in Schools By Stephanie Perkins. Topics for Discussion. Explain the effects of a damaging earthquake on a school Examples of major earthquakes that have had a serious impact on schools

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Earthquakes and Schools

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  1. Earthquakes and Schools The Importance of Damage Prevention and Earthquake Education in Schools By Stephanie Perkins

  2. Topics for Discussion • Explain the effects of a damaging earthquake on a school • Examples of major earthquakes that have had a serious impact on schools • Steps that can be taken to mitigate damage and injury

  3. Effects of a Damaging Earthquake • Primary concern about buildings surviving an earthquake is structural integrity • Buildings that are not sturdy enough to withstand the shaking are in danger of collapse.

  4. Effects of a Damaging Earthquake

  5. Effects of a Damaging Earthquake

  6. Effects of a Damaging Earthquake • Other earthquake dangers • Falling Objects • Light fixtures, ceiling fans • Bookshelves • Broken Glass • Broken gas lines, electric lines, water mains etc.

  7. Examples of Earthquake Damage in Schools • 12 May 2008: Sichuan, China • 6 April 2009: L’Aquila, Italy

  8. Sichuan, China • 12 May 2008, 2:28 pm • 7.9 MW • Important Statistics: • >69,000 deaths • >18,000 missing • >370,000 injured • $20 billion in damages

  9. Major impact on schools 11,687 schools need to be rebuilt 2,000 + other schools in need of serious repair Impact felt throughout society Chinese “one-child” law Example of Beichuan Township Two school buildings collapsed, killing 1,300 students and 40 teachersover 40% of the town’s population Sichuan Earthquake

  10. What went wrong in China • Shoddy construction • Poor materials • Lack of proper reinforcement • Delay in dispatching relief efforts

  11. Sichuan Earthquake • Propaganda Machine at work • 9-year-old Lin Hao pulled two of his classmates out of the rubble • Rewarded by leading the Chinese delegation in the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremonies

  12. Lessons from Sichuan Earthquake • Necessity of good construction materials, not just good design • Necessity of quick response

  13. L’Aquila, Italy • 6 April 2009, 3:32 am • 6.3 MW • Important Statistics • >260 Deaths • >1000 Injured • $530 million in damage • Several schools among collapsed buildings

  14. L’Aquila Earthquake • Many schools among collapsed buildings • Later discovered that 22,000 public schools in Italy were considered unsafe based on construction regulations. • Days after earthquake, schools reopened in tents

  15. Lessons from L’Aquila Earthquake • Necessity of inspection and action • Importance of routine • Reopening schools in tents as soon as possible

  16. Why is this Important? • Minimize loss of life and injury • Minimize psychological effects on children • Emotionally, children’s lives are especially valued

  17. Prevention • First: Structurally sound buildings • “Because schools are funded with public money, schools house the children of the electorate, [and] legislative statutes require children to attend schools…it was believed that the legislators…would support legislation requiring public school buildings to be constructed earthquake resistive.”

  18. Prevention • California Field Act • First passed in 1933 following the Long Beach Earthquake • All schools replacing those damaged in the earthquake must now be earthquake resistant • Amended to include retrofitting existing structures • Later additions and modifications now apply to all schools, kindergarten through community college level

  19. Prevention • Preparation is a key to preventing injury • Safety Drills • Discussion about what to expect during and after an earthquake

  20. What Have We Learned? • Earthquakes can seriously damage schools structurally and have an affect those inside the building. • It is fairly simple to take steps that will have a major impact after an earthquake. • Schools must be a priority in disaster planning.

  21. Questions?

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