California prepares for major seismic event
Program, was established in 2009 to provide support in assessing the impact seismic hazards pose towards critical structures and lifelines. Preparations also include seismic retrofitting to bolster existing structures, making them more resistant to seismic activity. The program has been divvied up among thirty-three states and territories, which provides a baseline assistance of $50,000 per state with remaining funds distributed based on risk. As they bear the largest risk, California receives more than any other state.
The assistance is distributed through cooperative agreements in which the receiving states and territories also bring something of value to the table, whether through other disaster mitigation programs or in-kind contributions such as staff time or low-cost aid from state universities.
Edward M. Laatsch, chief, building science section risk reduction branch, mitigation division, commented on the agreement when he spoke with Homeland Security NewsWire, saying: “In the case of California, these funds encourage collegial relationships between the State’s earthquake mitigation programs and other State offices such as Southern California’s Caltech’s seismology laboratory, which serves as a global focal point for earthquake information, as well as Cal EMA, California Emergency Management Agency, and a few others.”
In 2008 southern California held the Great Southern California ShakeOut exercise to promote public preparedness in which more than 5,000,000 of the general public took part in. This exercise has become an annual, statewide event. This past October, nearly 7,000,000 people participated, with a strong focus on school districts, involving drop, cover, and hold drills, as well as information seminars on what to do during a quake. Nonstructural mitigation measures were encouraged along with having family disaster plans. The overall mantra was “what you do to prepare before a disaster will determine your quality of life afterward.”
The ShakeOut was modeled after a similar effort in Japan named Earthquake Day which uses a warning system to announce potential seismic activity through television and radio broadcasts. Depending on the proximity to an earthquake’s epicenter, a person may have a few seconds at longest to take defensive action, which could mean the difference between life and death. David Applegate, Senior Science Advisor for Earthquake and Geologic Hazards at U.S. Geological Survey shared the realization that “the key to getting people to take action is for them to discuss among themselves, hence the importance of engaging not only schools but also businesses and organizations so that both parents and children can share the experience.”
