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malibusurfsidenews.com sound off
Malibu surfside news | January 24, 2019 | 15
Social snapshot
Top Web Stories
from MalibuSurfsideNews.com as of Monday, Jan. 21
1. Updated: Evacuees given OK to return home
Thursday afternoon
2. Woman, hit by tumbling boulder, in critical
condition
3. Stars team up for California Strong softball game to
benefit fire victims
4. SMMUSD’s Malibu schools closed Tuesday, Jan. 15
5. Two months post-fire, property assessment nearly
complete
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Malibu resident Laird Hamilton (@LairdLife)
posted Thursday, Jan. 17:
“My new book LIFERIDER is coming out on 12th
March. Pre-order now wherever books are sold!
Aloha.”
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From the Editor
Time to talk about education
Lauren Coughlin
lauren@malibusurfsidenews.com
Growing up, I was
that nerd who had
near-perfect attendance
in school.
It was largely for the
academic side of the equation,
especially once college
applications became
top of mind, but I also enjoyed
the social aspect of
my school community, and
I know that much is true
for many in Malibu, too.
This past week, SM-
MUSD students didn’t
have a choice in regard
to missing three out of
four school days, and then
school was back to being
closed for Martin Luther
King Jr. Day on Monday.
This, as you all know,
comes on the heels of several
missed days because
of the Woolsey Fire.
Though it’s not likely
that everyone shares my
passion for near-perfect
attendance, I doubt that I
am alone in wondering just
how much of a toll these
interruptions might be
taking on students, some
of whom are preparing for
college.
At the same time, I don’t
blame the district for erring
on the side of caution, as
the safety of students and
staff members needs to
come first. And, school
or no school, the fire also
surely took a toll on the
emotional well-being of
individuals of all ages who
suffered personal losses
and/or watched their own
community members suffer
after the fire.
One glance at the upcoming
sports schedules
reminds that the winter
season is nearly over when
it seems that it hardly started.
Rescheduled games
and missed practices —
plus new coaches looking
to lead the way amid these
odd circumstance — are
making this season unlike
any other, at no fault of
those involved.
And on the academics
side, virtual outlets just
may not be the same as
one-on-one time in the
classroom. Or, for some,
they may not be an option
at all as evacuations and
weather conditions can
leave one disconnected for
days.
So, what’s my point?
I’m interested in hearing
from students, athletes and
parents who are navigating
this unexpected turn
of events. I’d like to hear
from those who have successfully
navigated these
woes and who gotten into
their dream college, and
I’d like to hear from those
who have changed their
future plans because of the
circumstances at hand.
I’m always just an email
(lauren@malibusurfside
news.com) or phone call
(310-457-2112, ext. 1)
away.
Letter to the Editor
Pepperdine: A ‘friend of
Malibu’s’
I have heard and read
so many inaccuracies concerning
Pepperdine and
the Woolsey Fire that I feel
compelled to try to set the
record straight.
First, the decision to
shelter-in-place.
This was not a last-minute
decision. It was made
30 years ago in conjunction
with the Los Angeles
County Fire Department
after the ’85 fire, and is
reviewed regularly as part
of Pepperdine’s ironclad
Emergency Response Plan.
Its benefits are obvious ...
to keep the students safe
in a protected environment
rather than throw them out
on the streets to further
Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) posted
Friday, Jan. 18:
“One of the areas where #mud slid off the
hillside along SR-23 in the #WoolseyFire burn
area this week. U can see plant life is already
regenerating. #SR23 #decker”
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overwhelm an already illconceived
evacuation plan,
thereby putting their lives
in danger. Where would
you prefer your child to be?
Shelter-in-place is standard
fire/disaster response protocol
for certain situations.
Second, the notion that
local fire resources were
disproportionately allocated
to Pepperdine.
Pepperdine has two fire
vehicles and its own fire
team experienced in wildfire
defense, and all foliage
is well cut back from property
lines. Early on, County
Fire Air Operations began
using the campus and the
water from its reservoirs to
make airdrops throughout
Malibu. It was only at approximately
11:30 p.m. on
Nov. 9 that two LA County
strike teams arrived at Pepperdine
to aid the campus
firefighters in an immediate
threat, [Pepperdine fire officials
stated]. After several
hours, they left once the
threat was contained. This
does not seem like an overallocation
of resources.
Miscellaneous notes.
LACFD asked the Pepperdine
fire truck and crew
to address a fire on the
Hughes property which
they successfully did. I believe
this was the morning
of Nov. 10.
Pepperdine has two water
tanks on campus holding
a combined 4.6 million
gallons.
These tanks feed local
area fire hydrants and during
the Woolsey Fire they
were used consistently by
the fire department.
The County routinely
uses Pepperdine’s water
for air-drops, and uses the
landing zone at Alumni
Park for Medivac flights.
Pepperdine is a great
resource and friend of
Malibu’s, not only in time
of need, but culturally as
well. We should be only too
happy to have the University
in our midst as part of
the greater community of
Malibu. When searching
for scapegoats to blame for
the disaster that was Woolsey,
let’s not include Pepperdine.
Graeme Clifford, Malibu
resident