Now is the time to prepare for an earthquake


If the Big One hits and your children are in class, do you rush to pick them up? Or do you wait for instructions from the school? Who in the family is responsible for checking on Grandma, and where do you rendezvous if roads are so badly damaged no one is able to get home?

These are just a few of the uncomfortable questions California families need to be asking in the wake of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake just outside Mexico City earlier this month that left over 200 dead, countless injured and billions of dollars in damage. The Southland experienced a recent shake of its own when a magnitude 3.6 earthquake registered near Westwood, rattling L.A. homes and businesses.

It all made awareness of September as National Preparedness Month that much more critical.

The campaign’s message is simple but serious: Don’t get caught flat-footed.

In the immediate aftermath of a major earthquake, first responders and rescue crews will be stretched thin, and residents will largely need to fend for themselves. Cellphones may not work in the minutes or even hours after the quake—a fact that many seem unable, or unwilling, to grasp.

One of the unintended consequences of living in cities like Calabasas, Westlake and Agoura—where normal response times are incredibly short—is the fact that we can become complacent, figuring that if a crisis strikes, our local cops and firefighters will be there for us. That won’t be the case if an earthquake the size some scientists have predicted—over 8 on the Richter scale—hits.

Basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be interrupted for days, weeks, or even longer.

The question becomes, what kind of city are we—the kind that will need rescuing or one that will rescue itself? That all depends on how many residents start planning for a major disaster now.

A great place to get started is readyventuracounty.org. The site is filled with specific instructions for how to make sure your loved ones have the best chance to survive a massive quake.

Job 1: Have a plan, and make sure everyone in the family knows it. Job 2: Have supplies, and we’re not talking a case of water and a few cans of soup and ramen. Homeowners should have on hand at least one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days as well as emergency kits placed at work and in their vehicles.

A full list is available on the county’s website.

We’ve all got busy lives. But it’s time to stop the emergency-prep procrastination and get to it.

Remember: Today is the best time to prepare. You’ll be set for what could happen tomorrow.