Disaster preparedness

Bernadette Blanco is a journalism student at SFSU. For her reporting class she's been assigned Potrero Hill, and I'm delighted to post an article she's written.

In wake of Hurricane Katrina, Potrero Hill residents are doing their part to help prepare for a potential disaster.

The Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT), which was created by the San Francisco Fire Department in 1990, will provide free classes to Potrero Hill residents starting in December. According to the NERT Web site, the classes will help residents become "self sufficient in a major disaster situation."

Dick Millet, the vice president of the Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association, said that NERT, a citywide program, is a good way to help learn about survival and rescue techniques in case of an earthquake.

"[NERT] is a very good program," said Millet. "I’ve taken it."

If an earthquake strikes, a major concern for residents is the unstable structures, especially for the older buildings and houses in the neighborhood. Millet said that some of the older buildings have poor foundations that are not properly anchored and bolted.

Michelle Stephens, a realtor and Potrero Hill resident, estimated that "at least 25 percent" of the older houses in Potrero are not retrofitted. Stephens, who is also a certified NERT member, is planning to mail Potrero residents information on how to prepare for an earthquake.

"I am mailing information on the steps necessary to prepare for an emergency and referring people to the appropriate Web sites or inviting them to contact me for further information," said Stephens.

In case residents do not participate in a disaster preparedness program or if they are still unaware of what to do when an earthquake strikes, the Potrero Hill water tower contains loud speakers to alert and inform residents of what to do, according to Stephens.

The loud speakers and water tower is located at 22nd Street and Carolina Street and is owned by the city.

Even with all of the significant precautions and earthquake preparedness, some think that Potrero Hill would be able to endure a major earthquake.

"I think that [Potrero] would be least affected by a disaster," said Lin, who is also a member of the Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association and runs the Web site potrerohillsf.com. "Potrero Hill would have less impact from an earthquake [because] serpentine rock is stable enough to handle [such] a disaster."

Potrero Hill is primarily composed of serpentine rock. Serpentine, a greenish-black rock, is composed of the "remains of magnesium-rich igneous rocks" that come from the earth’s mantle, according to the California Geological Survey.

The last major earthquake that greatly impacted Potrero and resulted in irreparable damage occurred in 1906. The 1906 earthquake destroyed the dry-dock in the Dogpatch area of Potrero, and it led to the severe damage of the ship S.S. Columbia, according to the Web site pier70sf.org.

If Potrero residents are interested in participating in the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team program, classes begin Dec. 3 and last about three hours. Contact Lt. Erica Arteseros, the program coordinator of NERT, at (415) 970-2022 or email her at sffdnert@sfgov.org.