covering my own disaster
By chip scheuer
30 Oct 2009
THE GROUND WAS STILL SHAKING AS I ran towards a mushroom cloud of black smoke billowing from a home engulfed in flames on Myrtle Street across from the Santa Cruz High School pool.One of the residents was fleeing the inferno and I photographed him as firefighters battled the INTENSE flames . Approaching Pacific Ave. I couldn't believe the devastation Santa Cruz looked like a bad Japanese science fiction movie as if a drunken Godzilla had stumbled through the center of town.Peering through a cloud of redbrick dust it was obvious my hometown had been virtually destroyed by the powerful quake.Buildings had collapsed into the street burying cars and destroying trees,kiosks, and lamppostsTerrifed people where spilling out onto the street,comforting each other as best they could while rescue operations began.Entering the pile of rubble that had only moments before been Ford's Department Store right across the street from the old Good Times Building I encountered a desperate,grisly scene.Rescue workers were frantically digging out the victim and while tossed debris and still falling bricks sounded like wind chimes clinking ,that sound still makes me cringe.I spent the rest of the evening recording the havoc with my Nikons on Pacific Ave.finally crashing at a friends house. I had been living at the ST. George Hotel and never spent another night there ,it was condemned that night.
As a photojournalist unfortunately my biggest victories are other people's worst nightmares, that is the nature of my work. the Loma Prieta Earthquake was
the only time i have photographed my own disaster, losing most of my things but gaining a lot more compassion for the victims of other events i have since covered.Santa Cruz has always been a very nurturing, supportive environment for me and it was heartbreaking to see her hurt so badly it still bothers me. It is hard to believe the earthquake occurred 20 years ago this week, it seems like yesterday and the Roasting Company is still a hole in the the ground .The earthquake ripped the heart and soul out of downtown but it united us in a vision for the community. I still love Santa Cruz but I miss the grassy knolls on Pacific Ave where I used to sit and eat french bread, brie, and strawberries. The Cooperhouse is gone so are most of the benches and planters,but Santa Cruz lives on.
CHIP SCHEUER
3333333333
