Putting CSUN Back on Its Feet
THE NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE
The Northridge Earthquake damaged virtually every building on the 350-acre Cal State University at Northridge (CSUN) campus. The damage was so extensive, in fact, that the January 17 earthquake was by far the greatest natural disaster ever to strike a major U.S. university. Damage included major damage to numerous structures, including two libraries, a theatre, an auditorium, the administration building, three dormitories, and a parking structure; fire damage in three science buildings; and significant or minor damage in many others.
Within a few days after the earthquake. plans were formulated and work began to provide CSUN students and faculty with temporary classrooms and office spaces. While this “temporary’ campus” was constructed. existing structures were evaluated and repair work was begun on the leastdamaged buildings.
For several months after the earthquake. I was on site virtually every’ day, available to CSUN personnel at all times. I was involved in the planning and inspection of all temporary structure sites and in the inspection and approval process for reoccupying buildings or portions of buildings. During this time I acted as a liaison between the university and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
(Photo by Davis R. Parsons.)
FIRST PHASE
CSUN reopened less than one month after the earthquake, February 14, 1994. During that initial period, plans changed virtually by the hour, and it was critical that I be available at all possible times. My decision making with respect to the temporary campus included such concerns as
- the size and locations of clusters of portable buildings;
- the size and locations of membrane structures;
- the fire protection requirements for portable buildings and membrance structures;
- the location and installation of new fire
- department access roads and hydrant systems for temporary structures;
- the design and approval of an adequate fire warning system for all temporary sites;
- the approval of a heating method for temporary buildings;
- the inspection of all of the approximately 350 temporary buildings and membrane structures; and
(Above photo by Larry Collins; photo at right by Keith D. Cullom, IFPA.)
(Photo by Davis R. Parsons.)
- apprising Battalion 15 and all first-in companies (via new maps and tours) of all new building locations, accessways, and hydrants.
- With respect to the existing campus, my actions during the initial period included
- an initial limited inspection of every campus building;
- a complete inspection of every existing
- campus building that was deemed structurally safe enough to occupy-notices and reports were issued to CSUN for fire safety violations;
- witnessing tests of every fire alarm system on campus (virtually all were inoperable after the earthquake);
- witnessing tests of every emergency generator and emergency lighting system on
- campus (most systems were inoperable- generators ran out of fuel and battery systems drained);
- directing CSUN to provide security fencing around all unsafe buildings and reviewing and approving the fencing design;
- directing CSUN to provide security personnel at all unsafe buildings and reviewing and approving security personnel numbers and locations;
- apprising Battalion 15 and all first-in companies (via maps and tours) of all closed, unsafe buildings and all inoperable fire suppression systems.
(Photo by Davis R. Parsons.)
SECOND PHASE
The day before CSUN was scheduled to reopen. I was aware that many of the temporary classroom areas were not quite ready to occupy. On February 14, the day of the scheduled opening, and for the following few days, most of my time was spent posting and fencing unfinished temporary building sites and directing CSUN police to redeploy security manpower to unsafe areas and to the occupied buildings where overcrowding was a problem.
After the first few hectic days of the reopening, and for more than two months after, my actions included
- constantly monitoring fire watches that I have required;
- constantly monitoring security personnel assigned to prevent entry into unsafe buildings;
- approving or disapproving the reoccupying of buildings and portions of buildings;
- witnessing tests of fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems for two new complexes of buildings that were under construction and are now nearly completed;
- requiring, reviewing plans for. and inspecting
- new fire alarm system for a high-rise residence,
- new fire alarm system for two threestory science buildings,
- new hydrant system (new main and four hydrants),
- new fire alarm system and fire sprinkler system for CSUN North Campus, and
- new fire alarm system for the engineering building.
- requiring and inspecting 10 replacement hydrants (original hydrants found defective by fire companies);
- requiring and inspecting installation of “Fire Lane” signs where problems were occurring; and
- apprising Battalion 15 and all firstdue companies (via maps and tours) of existing buildings and portions of buildings that had been reoccupied.
