Walking onto Oxnard campus I hear the clear, loud resonance of an alarm go off. 

Peering around, everyone seems momentarily stunned, but curtly resumes their previous activity. This is the first part of the Great California ShakeOut.

This event is not only district-wide, but also statewide as the name suggests.  Held every third Thursday in October, the ShakeOut this year occurred on the Oct. 21, at 10:21 a.m.

Richard DeLaO, Chief of Police for the Ventura County Community College District, was the head coordinator and foremost contact in the event planning.

Flyers were posted around the campuses with basic information on when the ShakeOut would take place and what to do when it took place.

Oxnard College’s President, Dr. Richard Duran, is the first in a chain of command at OC to set off the alarm in case of an earthquake. According to Duran, this is put into place to ensure the safety of the students, faculty and administration.

“A general emergency plan for all disasters or dangers, including possible campus shootings,” said Duran. “In fact, faculty members yearly attend what is known as ‘table-top’ exercises and training and are given roles to fulfill in the presence of an emergency.”

Duran explains that the federal training consists of four courses with the faculty put into teams.

The purpose of the training and the drills are to remind people to stay vigilant, for the question is when, not if; referring to the large earthquake (about a 7.5 or greater on the Richter scale) that’s been estimated to have a 50% chance of occurring in the next 30 years. 

Samantha McClain, a 19-year-old OC student, was one of the students who experienced the Great California Shakeout.

“It’s good to have an alarm, and although it was very loud it was too short,” said McClain. “It would have been nice to have more instructions on what to do when the alarm sounded.”

On all three campuses – Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura—there are official designated emergency sites.  The school campuses serve as not just a safe-haven for students but also for the communities around them.

Guy Bryan, a grounds-keeper at OC, thought that the drill was a good idea, but seemed somewhat concerned with the process.

“Why is there no specific meeting place for everyone that we know of?” said Bryan. “It seems like they gave instruction for anyone who was inside a building, but what do we do if we’re outside?”

There were not very many students or faculty that participated in the drill or even seemed to know what was actually going on. However, those who did in fact participate, made a conscious effort to stop, drop and take cover.

Jacob Callahan, a 20-year-old marine biology major, was prepared for the drill.

“My professor informed the class numerous times of the ShakeOut, and gave information on the procedure,” said Callahan. “During the actual event, a Dean came in to inspect the class.” 

For more information, go to www.earthquakecountry.org/alliance