Campuses in Valleys Predate Quake Standards

Dozens of schools in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys were built before the state tightened seismic safety standards in 1976, and few have been upgraded, a Los Angeles Times survey has found.

And while independent districts inspect their schools for hazards and attempt to secure objects that could injure children during a temblor, their safety checks can range from cursory looks by janitors to full-fledged examinations by private contractors.

Most schools surveyed suffered no serious physical damage, but widespread damage was reported even in districts that have active seismic safety inspection programs.

School officials reported that during the Jan. 17 earthquake, bolted objects toppled, secured light fixtures fell, and athletic-field bleachers built to modern standards nonetheless sagged.

The last time Burbank reviewed and upgraded its 19 public schools for seismic safety was in the 1950s, according to David Gott, director of facilities planning for the Burbank Unified School District.

Burbank voters will decide a $100-million bond proposal for school renovation, including seismic upgrading, in April.

The district has no regularly scheduled inspections for seismic safety, and relies on reports from custodians or other personnel, said Gott.

The district will reinforce walls damaged by the quake at Roosevelt Elementary School and Luther Burbank Middle School, and replace metal trusses at John Burroughs High School.

Burbank regularly secures cabinets, lights and heavy objects, and all of its smaller contract work is done to current seismic standards, Supt. Arthur Pierce said.

In Glendale, all 27 of the district’s campuses--19 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools and a continuation high school--were built before 1976.

Seismic upgrades came in a patchwork during the 1960s and 1970s, according to district officials.

For example, bleachers were replaced at Glendale High School after the 1976 standards were changed. Nonetheless, they shifted after the Jan. 17 earthquake and have been deemed unsafe.

Inspections take place only as needed, said district spokesman Vic Pallos.

“It would be a wonderful idea to be able to go through all your structures . . . and see that it met the current seismic codes, but obviously that has a lot to do with economics,” said Chuck Walton, an architect who has worked on most Glendale school projects over the past 20 years.

Two of the smallest districts show a stark contrast in approaches.

Neither of the two pre-1976 schools in the three-school Eastside Union School District, east of Lancaster, has been inspected by an architect or a structural engineer for seismic safety, said Virginia Coleal, assistant superintendent for business services.

“We thought about it once--does that count?” Coleal said. “As far as we’re concerned, it looks good.”

The district plans to begin securing bookshelves and cabinets in March, she added.

The Wilsona School District, in the Antelope Valley, which also operates three schools, has just six classrooms constructed before 1976, said Richard Sanders, supervisor of facilities and transportation for the district.

Sanders said on-site staff regularly inspect the schools.

“We’re very aggressive when it comes to emergency preparedness,” Sanders said. “All schools have their own portable generators. We have stored water at each site. We have stored food at each site. We’re in a very rural area. We know if there’s a natural disaster, we’re not going to get help for a minimum of three or four days.”

Some schools that were less aggressive have become more so. Before the earthquake, 60% of the bookcases and cabinets in the Newhall School District were secured to the walls. Within the next two weeks, all of them will be secured, said Bill Morton, director of facilities.

At the William S. Hart Union High School District in the Santa Clarita Valley, with just one continuation high school and its headquarters predating the 1976 standards, gaps were exposed by the earthquake.

“We found that a lot of things we attached to the wall weren’t fastened securely enough to withstand this powerful an earthquake,” said Michael Bahnmaier, director of maintenance and operations.

Also contributing to this story were correspondents Rebecca Bryant, Tommy Li, Ed Bond, Kurt Pitzer and Sharon Moeser, and staff writer Phil Sneiderman.

School District Upgrades Listed

Here is a breakdown of Valley-area school districts listing how many schools were built before 1976, how they have been upgraded to withstand earthquakes, how they are inspected and whether furniture and fixtures are secured against quakes.

Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District: Two of the three schools built before 1976; none upgraded; semi-annual inspections; some bolting of furniture/fixtures.

Antelope Valley Union High School District: Three of five comprehensive high schools and one continuation school built before 1976; none upgraded; monthly inspections by staff; furniture/fixtures secured.

Burbank School District: All 19 built before 1976, no upgrades since; no regular inspections; furniture/fixtures secured.

Castaic Union School District: One of three schools built before 1976; not upgraded; regular inspections; furniture/fixtures secured.

Eastside Union School District: Two of three schools built before 1976; none upgraded; no regular inspections; program to fasten heavy objects begins in March.

Glendale Unified School District: All 27 campuses built before 1976; sporadic updating during major remodeling; inspected as needed or after quakes; furniture/fixtures secured.

Gorman School District: Lone school built before 1976; not upgraded; annual safety review; most furniture/fixtures secured.

Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union School District: Solitary school built before 1976; not upgraded except for safety glass; inspection by committee and private contractor; furniture/fixtures secured.

Keppel Union School District: Half of six elementary and junior high schools built before 1976; no seismic improvements; inspected by committee; furniture/fixtures secured.

Lancaster School District: 10 of 14 elementary and junior high campuses built prior to 1976; none upgraded; regular inspections; furniture/fixtures secured.

Las Virgenes Unified School District: Eight of 13 built before 1976; one room upgraded since 1976; annual inspections; furniture/fixtures secured.

Newhall School District: Five schools built before 1976; none modernized; annual inspections; 60% of furniture/fixtures secured.

Palmdale School District: Six of the 18 elementary and junior high campuses built before 1976; none upgraded; inspected by safety officers; furniture/fixtures secured.

Saugus Union School District: Seven of 10 built before 1976; none upgraded; monthly inspections; most furniture/fixtures secured.

Sulphur Springs Union School District: Six of seven were built before 1976; none upgraded; monthly inspections; furniture/fixtures secured.

Westside Union School District: Five of 10 built before 1976; unknown if upgrades include seismic standards; regular inspections; furniture/fixtures secured.

Wilsona School District: Three schools, with six classrooms built before 1976; no upgrading; regular inspections; furniture/fixtures secured.

William S. Hart Union High School District: Headquarters and continuation high school built before 1976; none upgraded; annual checks; furniture/fixtures secured.