ROUND OUNDUP www.theroundupnews.com
Woodland Hills, California
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Volume 117 - Issue 7
This week:
Page 2: Earning it Page 4: Old-style teaching Page 6: Small stature, big heart
November 7, 2012
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
PIERCE
PIERCE
PIERCE
Graphic Illustration: UD
Are we prepared for the worst?
Monday morning’s power outage draws attention to problems with campus emergency procedures Kirsten Quinn/Roundup
kquinn.roundupnews@gmail.com additional reporting: Michaia Hernandez
Complete power failure on campus just before Monday morning’s 9:35 a.m. classes began was attributed to a fire on Ventura Avenue, according to Pierce College officials. “The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said there was a fire on a power pole at Taft High School. The lines burned, and the power lines broke,” Paul Neiman, director of the Pierce College plant facilities office, said. Los Angeles Fire Department Station 93 responded to a smoking power line on the south side of Ventura Boulevard, west of Winnetka Avenue, in front of William Howard Taft High School, according to Daniel Curry, captain of the Tarzana station. “The power line was smoking when we arrived on scene. We couldn’t squirt water at it yet,” Curry said. Wetting a live power line could cause another power line to fall, but the fire was out when firefighters left the scene at 10:08 a.m., Curry said. The Department of Water and Power remained on scene to restore power, Curry said. One lane on Ventura Boulevard was closed, but it did not create any traffic problems, according to Curry. Areas North and West of the area were affected, and Target on De Soto Avenue and Ventura Boulevard lost power, Curry said. Pierce College lost total power for about an hour, from 9:20 to 10:20 a.m. When alerted of the power outage at 9:20 a.m.,
Neiman initiated the Pierce College emergency response plan. “I ascertained how long the problem was going to exist,” Neiman said. After assessing the situation, Neiman reported all information to President Kathleen Burke-Kelly, who was in a meeting with her senior staff at the time of the outage. Because the power outage lasted only until 10:20 a.m., Burke-Kelly decided not to call the Crisis Action vv“There really wasn’t a need once the situation was assessed,” Neiman said. “[The emergency response plan] went as smoothly as it could. I just kept my communications open with my boss and my team.” Larry Kraus, Associate Vice President of Administrative Services, went around campus handing out flashlights to the dark areas. “That’s our plan, the restrooms are very dark, there is no light in the restrooms so we try to get those covered,” Kraus said. However, all the restrooms on campus have electronic sensors in order to make them flush Jasson Bautista/ Roundup so they were non-responsive during the power READY: Associate Vice President of Administrative Services Larry Kraus breaks out brand new flashlights outage, according to officials. as part of his emergency procedures during the power failure at Pierce on Monday morning, Oct. 5 . Not long after the lights returned, Kraus reflected in his office. security of students during the initial phases, before asked.”Oh well I don’t know then, don’t call it an “In a power emergency, other than what we know other emergency services are in place. emergency.” of the certain situations that occur, it’s really just Kraus was following those protocols Monday Frustrated with all the terminology being tossed immediate health and safety aspects, make sure that morning within minutes of the power outage. around, Kraus came to a conclusion. people are okay,” Kraus said. He was then informed that Burke-Kelly had “I don’t know what an emergency is,” Kraus said. During events such as this, certain faculty members declared the situation a “non-emergency.” “When lights go out and the electricity goes out we and staff are charged with ensuring the safety and “Oh she didn’t say it was an emergency?” Kraus just need to make sure people are okay.”
“W hen the lights go out and the electicit y goes out we just need to make sure people are okay.” –Larry Kraus
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P I E R C E The Pierce College Weather Station has provided meteorological data to national agencies since 1949. Information for this week’s report comes from meteorology student Kevin Gabriel, who volunteers at the station.
Wed.– Nov. 7 High: 84° Low: 53°
Sunny
W E A T H E R Thur.– Nov. 8 High: 72° Low: 47°
Fri.– Nov. 9 High: 63° Low: 43°
Sat.– Nov. 10 High: 63° Low: 45°
Partly Cloudy Mostly Sunny Partly Cloudy
Sun.– Nov. 11 High: 70° Low: 48°
Sunny
R E P O R T Mon.– Nov. 12 Tues.– Nov. 13 Wed.– Nov. 14 High: 72° High: 76° High: 76° Low: 51° Low:50° Low:53° Sunny Partly Cloudy Sunny