2019 Ridgecrest Earthquakes: Qualitative Fieldwork

California, Oregon, and Washington are the first states in the United States to activate ShakeAlert, a regional Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system that can send warnings of significant earthquakes to areas outside the immediate epicenter before serious shaking occurs. The vital seconds provided by ShakeAlert can allow automatic shutdowns of industrial and technological systems and prompt people to take recommended protective actions—such as drop, cover, and hold on. This research project is designed to fill a major gap in the literature by assessing the readiness, willingness, and ability of K-12 schools in Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington to adapt their school emergency plans to include EEW. Phase 1 of this project involves qualitative research in Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, and in Ridgecrest and Trona, California. These regions were affected by earthquake activity in November 2018 and July 2019, respectively. Our research team interviewed school district administrators; school principals; teachers, students, and parents; emergency management personnel; and engineers about their earthquake experiences, damage to the built environment, disruption to the social environment, and receptivity to using EEW. During Phase 2 of this project, the research team will distribute an online survey to school district officials in Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington regarding their perceptions and/or adoption of EEW systems in their schools. This project includes the research instruments, IRB protocols, and other materials that will be of use to other researchers interested in the study of earthquake early warning, protective actions, earthquake impacts, and schools.