Jesse Proctor/Mainstream
An Oregon Department of Geology report identified two UCC buildings susceptible to serious earthquake damage.

Oregon's Future Earthquake Scenario
Part Three

By Don Gillman · The Mainstream
Published November 14, 2012

The day will come when a large, mega-thrust earthquake will strike Oregon, according to Oregon State University scientists, and when it does, what will happen to our campus? Which buildings will withstand five minutes of intense shaking? Where will people go for shelter or first-aid? If the bridges south of campus collapse, will the college be able to take care of those who are stranded?

Unfortunately, the answers to this are a mixed bag. According to a report done by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, two of UCC’s buildings—the Whipple Fine Arts building and the Education Skills Building—are in grave danger of collapse during an earthquake, while the rest of the campus structures rank in the low-to-moderate range.

These buildings were all built primarily in the late 1960s when it was believed that Oregon was a seismically-inactive state. Because of that error, the buildings weren’t designed to withstand earthquakes, and upgrading now would certainly cost millions of dollars.

The college has a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan in place, however, so that UCC staff will be ready to assist and protect students, teachers and community members. The plan focuses on evacuation, protection, minimizing damage to facilities, restoring the use of buildings and facilities, communications with the college community and media, continuity of community service operations and coordinated access for emergency personnel and equipment.

The college is not the only organization attempting to prepare for a possible big quake. Annual statewide earthquake drills have been running for two years now known as the Great Oregon ShakeOut. These yearly drills are getting our population ready for the inevitable tremor. In the ShakeOut’s first year, however, only 38,000 people took part.  The Great Oregon Shakeout is an organization that registers schools, workplaces and other companies for a statewide earthquake drills.