RICHARD NAVA
Staff Writer
Emergencies are, by definition, unexpected and difficult to prepare for, an idea that has been proven repeatedly in the past few months.
How can college students be expected to predict and protect themselves from these kinds of unforeseen disasters? That is where Pepperdine’s Emergency Operations Center comes in.
The EOC is a committee of a dozen Pepperdine officials, including the directors of Human Resources and Public Safety, the dean of students and the provost. These individuals confer with President Andrew K. Benton on an “as needed” basis to discuss local emergencies that may pertain to the university’s faculty, staff and students.
The EOC deals with crises such as, but not limited to, power outages, campus closures and community issues aggravated by weather conditions. The most recent example of the committee in action was the campus closure Jan. 10 due to heavy storms and flooding.
Director of Public Relations Jerry Derloshon said that the EOC is not a new idea; it has been around as long as the university.
“The mission of the EOC is to ensure that well-thought and well-communicated responses to emergency situations are acted out in a timely manner to ensure the safety of the Pepperdine community,” Derloshon said.
Last month’s closure was discussed by the committee, according to Derloshon, and the final decision was made by Benton. The committee evaluated the weather conditions and forecast, along with the status of the three main road arteries into Pepperdine. After careful consideration, they decided the commute was too dangerous to attempt.
The EOC meets in Thornton Administration Center out of the student eye, causing its services to be unknown to students.
“I didn’t know we had an Emergency Operations Center,” said freshman Daniele Smythe. “I just thought Public Safety could close the school.”
Derloshon said he hopes students become aware of the EOC’s purpose.
“It would be good for students to know that the EOC exists so that they know these decisions are not just invented on the fly,” he said. “The students should know they are safe and protected.
02-24-2005