On October 15, 2009, Golden West College participated in The Great Southern California Shakeout, the largest earthquake drill to date. The scenario was based on a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on the Southern California San Andreas Fault. This was the college’s first full scale exercise and we had full participation from the campus community, Huntington Beach CERT, Huntington Beach Fire Department, and OC Emergency Operations Center.
In preparation for the exercise, we completed an Emergency Response Plan which fully complies with the State and Federal legal requirements. Classes on emergency preparedness and response were offered to the general campus population as well as those who play critical roles in the GWC emergency response plan. As a result of our efforts, Golden West College received the Award for Excellence in Disaster Preparedness from the American Red Cross OC Chapter. This award recognizes companies and organizations for their superior emergency preparedness plan.
The next phase of GWC emergency preparedness will be focused on recovery operations and business continuity following a disaster. We will continue to improve our emergency preparedness through table top exercises, emergency response training, and emergency operations training. None of this is possible without the teamwork and commitment from the GWC team and the local community, so thank you for all of your efforts.
