Three days’ worth of emergency supplies arrived on campus Monday, Nov. 7, marking a major milestone in the new administration’s plan to prepare Shalhevet for earthquakes and other disasters.

Flashlights, hundreds of protein bars, four giant water barrels, and search-and-rescue equipment including a crow-bar and hard hats are ball being stored for now in the lobby next to the Chemistry lab in the Annex.  Other items include medical supplies, cord and a portable toilet.

“I’m really glad we pushed this,” said Facilities Director Eli Schiff as he sifted through the bags of water purification packets and gloves.  “It’s a big step in getting us ready for an emergency.”

Mr. Schiff would rather store the materials in a shed-like container on the parking lot, out from under any roof that could collapse on them. The administration put out a request in its weekly e-mail for someone to donate a shed to house the supplies outside.

But even inside the Annex, the supplies are a first in Shalhevet’s 19-year existence. Designed to sustain up to 200 stranded students and faculty for up to three days on campus, they were ordered by Mr. Schiff  earlier this month from SOS Survival Products of  Van Nuys.

“We saw it needed to get done, made it a priority and Eli Schiff made sure it happened,” said Head-of-School Rabbi Ari Segal in an e-mail.  “I hope that people are really getting the sense that we mean business and will follow through on our commitments.”

Assisting Mr. Schiff was longtime school emergency consultant Richard Druyen, who in past years had inspected Shalhevet’s buildings for earthquake safety and had made recommendations about supplies.

Previous facilities directors Yossi Kastan and then Lili Einalhori had also worked with Mr. Druyen, but only this year was the funding provided to follow through.