The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-10-03, Page 151
leisure, features and entertainment
What happens after a
by Ray Borg
It was 4:40 p.m. on May 2,
1983. Life was pretty much
the same as usual for the
residents of Coalinga, Calif.,
that day. But deep below the
earth's surface something
was happening — something
that was to change their
lives.
Suddenly, the air was still,
the birds stopped singing,
the dogs were quiet and the
cats hid themselves. Hardly
anyone noticed.
Within two minutes the
ground began to move. The
noise was deafening as
buildings began to crumble.
For many there was no time
to think of what was happen-
ing, only time to escape the
bricks and rumble falling
around them.
Quickly, people began to
check to see if everyone was
accounted for. Wives
searched for their husbands,
jumping in joy to be together
again. "Praise the Lord,"
was on everyone's lips as
families found themselves
together.
Fortunately, only one fire
had ereupted in a downtown
restaurant. It was quickly
extinguished by the fire de-
partment.
People began checking
building after building. One
fellow was found uncon-
scious, buried beneath a pile
of rubble. Friends quickly
dug him out and rushed him
to a nearby hospital.
Then the news media des-
cended upon Coalinga. No
one knows how they found
out so quickly. Cameras,
rude remarks and nosy re-
porters moved from house to
house, insensitive to the
emotions of the people.
FI KITING FIRES—Immediately following the earthquake, only one fire broke out in
the downtown area. It was quickly extinguished.
In a matter of two hours
the National Guard had
arrived and blockaded all
roads entering Coalinga.
Guards a strolled down the
streets preventing looting
and helping in any way
possible.
Almost at the same time
the Salvation Army arrived
on the scene. Their canteen
swung into high gear that
night to make certain every-
one had a hot meal.
For most, that first night
was spent under the stars.
The ground was still shaking
periodically and no one felt
safe in any building.
What a day it -had been'. No
one knew the magnitude of
the earthquake. Some
thought it to be 6.5 on the
Richter Scale and others
thought it to be 7.0. But, re-
gardless of the size of the
`'quake, it had left an area of
destruction.
FAULT LINES
The following day the
American Red Cross made a
door-to-door estimate of the
damages. Inspectors con-
demned many buildings. It
was estimated 15 per cent of
the residential homes had
been totally destroyed as
well as 80 per cent 'of the
town's business, In a town
with a population of 7,700 it
was quite a blow.
That first week following
the' quakewas an emotional
one in Coalinga. Many were
certain there would be
another major quake. No one
,knew what to do first; no one
had experienced such an
event.
Supposedly, geologically
Coalinga was to be free from
earthquakes even though the
San Andreas Fault lies only
30 miles west of Coalinga.
Later, it was discovered that
there were two fault lines
evident, the Nunez and Anti -
Cline Faults.
Insurance companies be-
came the talk of the town.
People wondered if they
were covered. Would they
pay enough to rebuild? To
the surprise of many, their
insurance company was off
no help. Slowly, most people
were notified that they had
no coverage. Hostility was
prevalent — how were they
going to rebuild'?
Within a week the people
were told the area had been
federally declared a disaster
area. Financial assistance
was promised; loans would
be available; hope was re-
kindled.
The next few days were
spent filling out form after
form. There were so many
programs to learn about and
in such a , short time. A Dis-
aster Assistance Center was
set up downtown.
The center assisted
disaster victims to apply for
various programs. Here they
. applied for government
funds, known as the. Indi-
vidual and Family Grant.
Applications were also
' made to the Small Business.
Administration loan, the
Farmers' Home Adrninistra-
t ion loan, the Red Cross
Additional Assistance,
Disl eter Unemployment
-.*aistan& and to temporary
housing,
Temporary. housing is
provided by the government
under the direction of ' the
Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency. • They
seek to provide housing to
those misplaced from their
homes by the disaster.
Apartments are provided, if
available, or mobile trailers
are moved into the area; '
In the case of Coalinga,
mobile homes were brought
in. The housing was provided
rent-free for a limited.durq-
tion, usually a year, and reg-
ulated by strict guidelines.
Later it was reported the
quake had been officially re-
corded as 67 on the Richter
Scale.
INTERFAITH •
About this time a Church
World Service consultant
arrived on the scene and met
with area ministers. They
Continued on Page 7
REBUILDING—Volunteers working with the Interfaith
Disaster Relief organization moved into Coalinga to assist
with the rebuilding of the, town. The organization also
assisted people having mental problems following the
earthquake.
A
ji
Serving over 24,00Q homes in Listowel, Wingham,
Mount Forest, Milvertbn, Ariss, Arthur, Drayton,
-Harriston, Moorefield, Palmerston. Bloomingdale,
Breslau, Conestogo, Elmira, Heidelberg, Linwood,
Maryhill. St, Clements, St. Jacobs, Wallenstein,
WellesleYand West Montrose.
Wedn sday, October 3, 1984
saster
RELIEF I ORKER—Ray Borg
doing relief work for Interfaith
of RR 1, Fordwich in the trailer he called home while
following the earthquake in Coalinga, Calif., in 1983.
COALINGA. gARTHQUAKE—The
Calif., on Vlay'1,:1'988 measured
earthquake which levelled homes in Coalinga,
6.'7`(in the'Richter-Scale.
'
DISASTER AREA—The Town of Coalinga with a population of 7,700 was declared a
federal disaster area by the United States' government following the earthquake. Fif-
teen per cent of residential buildings were totally destroyed as were 80 per cent of
the town's businesses.
Birthing Home will be
information centre
SIPII
by Kim Dadson
The St. Jacobs Family Birtiiitii' ,
Home has opened and although there
won't be any babies born at the King
Street home, it will act as a central lo-
cation for- prenatal and postnatal care,
information and support. r
Couples looking for birthing inform-
ation and instruction, mothers needing
support and back-up with a new
member in the family, guidance for
breastfeeding problems, inforrhation
on feeding and introducing solids to the
.baby, nutrition — all be met at the St.
and questions will be met at the St.
Jacobs Family 'Birthing Home, 115
King Street.
The house is the result of a dream of
several lay and professional people. Al-
though there Ultimate aim is to provide
an alternative to hospital births, at the
present they will operate as a support
system through classes on breastfeed-
ing, parenting, nutrition and prenatal.
The ministry of health in Ontario re-
quires a free standing birthing centre to
be a private hospital and midwives
have no legal status in this province,
The Health Disciplines Act has been
opened however, and legislation con-
cerning the legalizing of'midwives will
be discussed this November.
"We don't expect it to be passed, but
it will be discussed," says midwife
Elsie Cressman of Kitchener. Midwives
are regiate.•ed nurses with advanced
training in maternity care. Canada is
the only country in the World Health
Organization .(WHO) that fails to
recognize midwifery — the WHO
recognizes midwives as the inter-
national specialists in normal child-
birth.
Until legislation is passed, when
members of parliament have been im-
pressed that women want alternatives
to ho4ital births, the Birthing Home in
St. Jacobs will remain as an inform-
ation centre only.
"There is much hope," comments
Pat Legault, co-ordinator of the nursing
program at Conestoga College. She
adds that the College of Nurses is sup-
portive of mifives ives and birthing
centres. C
Hospitals, she says are by their very
nature filled with infections and every-
thing that a maternity floor nurse does,
is aimed, at protecting the infant from
that infection.
"Here," she comments of the Birth-
ing Home in St. Jacobs, "we wouldn't
have that worry."
Libby Noonan, a teacher with La
Leche League, an international organ-
ization aimed at promoting,breastfged-
ing as the best method of nourishing a
baby, comments on the variety of
people who are interested in a birthing
centre because of a disappointing ex-
perience in the hospital. "We're not a
bunch of earth mothers who want their,
babies born at home, as some believe.
Interested people comefrom all,walks
of life."
Elsie, who has attended 1,000 bir,4hs in
Africa, says psychological and
'emotional problems can cause
problems with a delivery — just as
medical problems can lead to difficult-
ies.
Until legislation is changed, however,
women won't have the choice of an al-
ternative to a hospital/setting. The
birthing centre would provide a place
for those who don't want a birth at
home but who aren't happy with the
hospital as the only other choice.
The birthing home is sharing accom-
modation with the local Mennonite
Church. The house, the former church
manse, is used for Sundayschool
classes as well 'as evening classes for
the Lamaze method of childbirth and
La Leche meetings.
A lending library, is one of the pro-
posed uses for the home. Anyone want-
ing any information concerning ma-
ternity, will be able to get it from the
Birthing Home. A nutritionist from
Kitchener -Waterloo Hospital, Cecily
Alexander, will be providing inform-
ation on nutrition to new parents.
Ankara McPherson and Monica
Himmelman will teach Lamaze,
natural childbirth and Himmelman,
twice a Caesarean mother, will teach a
series on Caesarean births.
Other people who have been support-
ive of the home, says Pat Legault in-
clude Bill and Libby Noonan, Bill and
Ann Shantz, Fae Knott,°Milo Shantz and
Elsie Cressman. The home operates on
donations — • all people involved have
volunteered their services. There will
be charges for classes held at the home
and the group has held several fund
raising events to help pay for the
maintenance of the house.
The issue of alternative birthing
arrangements is not without contro-
versy. Doctors lose business when a
woman decides to have her child at
home. And midwives take a risk every
time they attend a birth because of the
legality.
Because of this, the Birthing Home
will not be a place for births yet but Pat
Legault comments, "We would work
closely~ with the doctor and hospital.
There is a selection of people who would
use a Birthing Home — low risk."
"Many don't want a home or hospital
birth," says Elsie Cressman. "Doctors
seem to prefer birthing centres. If
doctors want to stop home births, birth-
ing centres should be approved."
tM