Growing up in Oregon, I have heard talk of “the big one” — a hypothesized giant earthquake that is overdue to happen — for almost all my life, and many students at UO can likely say the same. The looming threat of a massive earthquake along the Cascadia Fault is a formative part of most West Coast-raised students. Despite constant warnings that at any moment our world could quite literally collapse around us, most UO students are ill-prepared at best for the coming disaster.
Many families have emergency plans and supplies in case of a disaster, but when it comes time for students to go off to college, these plans are quickly forgotten. Living in the dorms provides a plan for something like an earthquake or fire that consists of leaving the building quickly and meeting outside. However, after students move out of the dorms and into apartments and houses, they are left to fend for themselves.
A professor recently described the effects a massive earthquake would have on Eugene. Our roads would crumble and all the old buildings on campus would not survive. This made me think about what I would do if I was suddenly in a life-or-death situation like that, and I came up empty handed. Instead of remedying the situation by creating a plan and gathering supplies, I decided to see if I was the only one who was unprepared.
I asked three students what they would do if the big one really happened. One student named Elise Rasmussen explained that she is more concerned with school and daily issues.
“I really should be because my dad’s been preaching it, but no, don’t have time to think about it. I’m focused on school and feeding myself on a daily basis,” she said.
Rasmussen also expressed that she thinks many students are underprepared because it is hard to grasp the reality of such a devastating event. “It feels like the earthquake is the butt of a joke rather than an actual threat.”
UO student Jack Cochran said he is equally unprepared but said it is a conscious decision.
“It’s hard for us students to actually prepare ‘cause of the feeling of helplessness,” Cochran said. Being from California, Cochran said he was used to earthquakes when he came to Oregon, but that has not encouraged him to prepare.
UO student John Sandilands said his lack of preparation was not intentional. He simply hasn’t thought about it.
“Honestly if the big one happens, then it happens. I’ll be as ready as I can be in that moment, but I’m not going to interrupt my daily life to prepare for something that might not happen,” Sandilands said.
It can be hard to conceptualize what a magnitude-nine earthquake would really be like, but even so, a little preparation can go a long way. Talking to other students confirmed that I wasn’t the only one unprepared for such a disaster, but it also reminded me how easy it is to prepare. Everyone should have some form of emergency plan and kit somewhere around their home. It might seem obvious to some people, but students should make sure they have a small amount of supplies for the worst-case scenario. Water, non-perishable food and a hand-powered light are three necessities that just might save your life.
