Are theLifelinesOpen?
Critical Emergency Facilities and Lifeline
Utility Systems
A G U
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F E M A
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S
E I S M I C
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L E U T H S
5.5
VOCABULARY
Lifeline:
a service that is
vital to the life of a
community. Major life-
lines include transporta-
RA T I ONA L E
How well a community recovers from a damaging earthquake depends
on the survival of critical emergency facilities and major utility
systems (“lifelines”). In this lesson, students resume their focus on
community preparedness.
F OCU S QU E S T I ON S
Where are the critical emergency facilities and major lifelines in my
community, and how vulnerable are they?
How would my community survive a damaging earthquake?
OB J E C T I V E S
Students will:
1. Name and locate the critical emergency facilities and lifelines in
their community, and evaluate their sites for geological hazards.
2. Contact civic leaders, heads of emergency facilities, and public
utility officials to learn about their emergency plans, or renew existing
contacts.
3. Report to the class and the community on what they have learned.
MA T E R I A L S
tion systems, communication
systems, water supply lines, electric
power lines, and petroleum or
natural gas pipelines.
Q
Brainstorming list of survival necessities from Unit 1, Lesson 2
Q
Master 5.5a, Lifelines and Critical Emergency Facilities
TEACHING CLUES AND CUES
Q
Back of Master 5.5a, Problem Areas
Q
Master 5.5b, A Chain of Disasters
If your students have not
developed a map of your
own area that contains
Q
Local map(s) showing locations of major emergency facilities and
lifeline systems
Q
Classroom local map developed in Lesson 1.3, with notes on soil
conditions from Lesson 2.5
Q
Red marking pen
Q
Local telephone directories
information on fault and soil types,
use the maps on Master 2.5c to
show them how this kind of
information is presented visually.
