Lobo School’s Drill to Mimic Real Disaster

Disaster drills with a real-life feel to them will be the lessons learned today for students and staff at Clarence Lobo Elementary School.

During the school’s earthquake drill, school doors will be blocked, electricity will be lost, gas and water services will be assumed disrupted and all phone services and intercoms will be out throughout the school, just as they might be in a real disaster.

Principal Sue Lovely said it is district policy to practice regular fire and duck-and-cover drills during the year. This all-out emergency exercise will test the total preparedness and performance of students and staff under real-life disaster conditions, she said.

“The more they practice, the more prepared they will be in a real situation,” Lovely said.

The school also will simulate the scenario that 10% of the students suffered injuries, that children are missing and frantic parents are coming to the campus to rescue their children.

Administrators and disaster coordinators from schools throughout the Capistrano Unified School District will be on hand to witness the event, as well as representatives from the city of San Clemente and San Onofre nuclear power plant.

Ken Harker, district planning manager for maintenance, said the school representatives will be able to learn from Lobo’s simulation, especially those that have not yet conducted emergency exercises at their schools. A series of training meetings will be offered by the district in the coming months to teach first aid and other emergency skills to school disaster response teams.

“This is an ongoing process,” Harker said of the training.