Dear Colleagues and Students,

At Humboldt State University, we take the safety of our University community seriously. Please join me Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m., in participating in the Great California ShakeOut Drill (www.shakeout.org/california), an annual event to practice what to do when you feel an earthquake.

I encourage you to set your cell phone or watch alarm for 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15.  At that time, we should all drop to the ground or floor, cover ourselves by getting under a table or desk (or if outside protect your head with an arm), and hold on for sixty seconds. Drop, cover, and hold.

To see videos prepared by HSU Geology Professor Emerita Lori Dengler about exactly what to do, please visit www.humboldt.edu/risksafety/node/68.  This emergency management website also has good summaries about how to respond in many other types of emergency.

A video from California Shakeout, designed to be played during the drill, is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijKGH3WKo3Q.

I am especially interested in ensuring that our faculty and staff who work with groups of students are prepared to respond and help in the event of an earthquake.  Students will take their cues on how to behave from what we do.  Please include information in your syllabi and practice a ShakeOut with students.

If you have suggestions or ideas about the ShakeOut on our campus, please contact Willie Bence, HSU’s Emergency Management Coordinator, at willie.bence@humboldt.edu.

A major reason why our part of the California coast is so scenic is the active geology – and earthquakes are part of the package.  We live in a dynamic part of the planet, and planning is an important way to reduce the risks.  Thank you for practicing and preparing.

Sincerely yours,

Lisa A. Rossbacher, Ph.D.
President