CITY SET FOR BIG TEMBLORS.

Byline: Eugene Tong  Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - With emergency response plans and provisions tempered by annual wildfires and persistent terrorism fears, local agencies are confident they are well prepared when the next temblor on the scale of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake rumbles through.

Almost 10 years since the 6.7-magnitude earthquake left its mark with cracked foundations and destruction, public officials have remained on guard. Most elementary and high school campuses boast roughly three days' worth of emergency supplies paid for through parent donations, while the city and county governments troubleshoot on their response plans annually.

``Earthquakes are the ultimate because it disrupts so much of the infrastructure,'' said Adele Macpherson, community services superintendent for the city of Santa Clarita, who managed emergency response during the Northridge Quake. ``I'm not sure every individual is (prepared), but the schools are better prepared, the city is better prepared and we have more residents that are trained at a higher level - they have more response skills and leadership skills.''

In fact, the city was recognized with an award for its response on Jan. 17, 1994, particularly with City Hall rendered yellow-tagged by the quake.

It maintains an ongoing preparation program that includes annual citywide drills with schools and Los Angeles County fire and sheriff's departments.

``If something happens during the day and the staff is working, we go into our response plan,'' said Donna Nuzzi, the city's emergency services coordinator. ``Depending on the magnitude of the incident, we come up with a game plan and we open up an emergency operation center. We work out a system so we can still do business.''

For residents outside the city in Stevenson Ranch and Castaic, help would come from the county Sheriff's Department, said Bob Garrott, a county Office of Emergency Management administrator.

``There are deputies who already know those areas will go out and look for damage and report what's going on,'' he said. ``Our office and the sheriff's station is going to be the center of local first-response management.''

Despite constant drilling, officials also must remain flexible in mustering a response to disaster, Nuzzi said. While plans call for local high schools to double as shelters, that may be impossible in a severe temblor.

``Typically, the first line is the high school, but that's not always the case,'' said Nuzzi, referring to Hart High School, whose gym and auditorium were severely damaged during the Northridge Quake.

Since the quake, the city has built the Sports Complex, which could serve as an additional shelter, and the Hart facilities have been rebuilt.

``We have all these facilities we can use if they are not impacted,'' Nuzzi said.

Besides facilities, technology has improved in the past 10 years. Cell phones with built-in walkie-talkies were added to the communication arsenal, along with old ham radios.

``Technology has stepped up and so have we,'' Nuzzi said. ``But we can't rely on only one system. You have to have redundancies. We might have to rely on two-way radio.''

At the county Fire Department, securing key sites such as Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and the Golden State Freeway are high priorities in the earthquake response. Firefighters also keep close watch on the Valencia Town Center and Six Flags California, fire inspector Steve Cookus said.

``There are different priorities for things where we have the potential of a lot of lives lost,'' he said. ``Every situation is different. We don't know what area is going to be hit the worst. Basically through our predesignated attack routes, we'll figure out where the trouble is.''

Given Santa Clarita's isolation from the rest of the county, local firefighters also are expected to operate on their own until help arrives. When Interstate 5 closed after the Northridge Quake, reinforcements and supplies arrived by air.

``We flew in on helicopters that time,'' Cookus said. ``We flew into Magic Mountain and set up a command center there. ... We're like a little military organization. We need food and we need water like everybody does, and we prepare for that.''

Even with official readiness, Nuzzi urged residents to maintain adequate emergency supplies - up to three days of food and water.

``We were fortunate in the '94 quake that bottled water got into the city relatively quickly,'' she said. ``But we can't be under the assumption that it'll be there next time. ... In California, people forget. We're so bombarded by so many things.''

The advice is taken seriously at local schools. At Plum Canyon Elementary in Saugus, a supply bin packed with water, food, tools and medical kits stands ready for the next major temblor. Teachers and staff trained in first-aid and search and rescue work undergo emergency drills with students up to three times a year, said Nicole Ross, a PTA officer in charge of health and safety.

This year, a name tag with personal and medical information was given to every child to help teachers attend to their charges in an emergency. While there is enough food and water for the entire school for up to three days, parents also can purchase $10 comfort kits to help their children through the unthinkable.

``It's really to keep them calm and secure,'' Ross said. ``It's to make sure the kids know everything is OK.''

At the 19,000-student William S. Hart Union High School District, each campus maintains its own emergency plan based on the state's current Standardized Emergency Management System guidelines, said Richard Freifeld, director of student services.

``The job has become complicated and more demanding,'' said Freifeld, Canyon High's assistant principal during the Northridge Quake. ``Schools across the country have experienced different types of emergencies, and we have become more proactive than before. ... There are no simple answers, but I think the schools have really come a long way developing emergency plans.''

In an actual earthquake, students are directed to a designated evacuation site - usually an open field - after the shaking stops. Then staff trained in search and rescue move out to assist victims. Students may be held on campus until they're picked up.

The campuses also are equipped with emergency supplies of food, water, blankets, first-aid kits and tools. Perishables are replaced about once a year through donations collected from parents at the start of each school year.

At Valencia High, a 7,500-gallon water tank installed in 1996 provides drinking water for the campus during an earthquake.

``It's linked to one of our bathrooms,'' Assistant Principal Les Luxmore said. ``It's always being used so it's always fresh.''

Also, Hart officials are planning to install emergency power systems at all campuses. They cost roughly $20,000 each, to be paid for through fund raising, Luxmore said.

``It's just something that we recognize as a necessity - not just because of the quake,'' he said. ``Every time during the year, we lose current once or twice.''

But vigilance does not end with outfitting the latest emergency systems on campus, Luxmore said.

``The main thing is to make sure that the teams all know their responsibilities,'' he said. ``That is a top priority - that they manage to develop a sense of confidence, that there are a lot of people that know what needs to be done.''

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) PTA officer Nicole Ross looks over quake supplies at Plum Canyon Elementary.

(2) Plum Canyon's emergency gear has been clearly marked for easy retrieval.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer