ShakeOut organizers announced that the building was unstable.  Everyone should evacuate immediately.  Those who headed for the front entrance found it strung with caution tape, with Disaster Action Team coordinator Sue Hunter there to tell them it was blocked by debris.  The Red Cross advises people to identify two evacuation routes from their home and office in case of just such an obstacle.  Now Red Cross workers tested their own knowledge of their secondary exits.

Volunteers stood waiting at the designated emergency meeting points near the front and back of the building.  They each held a gift bag, containing preparedness items like furniture straps and flashlights, awarded to the first person to arrive at each meeting point.  Then, having survived the fictional earthquake, everyone went back to work.

The first ShakeOut took place in southern California in 2008.  It was created in response to the ShakeOut Scenario generated by the United States Geological Survey, which simulated the effects of a 7.8 earthquake on the southern end of the San Andreas fault.  An estimated 5.4 million people participated.  This year, over 8.5 Californians registered for the drill.

The U.S.G.S. predicts that Los Angeles will experience a major earthquake within the next 30 years.   Events like the ShakeOut help residents get prepared.  If you missed this year’s ShakeOut, have your own drop, cover and hold on drill at your office or home.

The ShakeOut was developed in response to the ShakeOut Scenario generated by the United States Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.).  The scenario is a comprehensive study of the potential effects of 7.8 earthquake on the southern end of the San Andreas fault.  The first ShakeOut, in 2008, focused on Southern California.  On November 13^th, 5.4 million area residents participated in a “drop, cover and hold on” earthquake drill, the largest in U.S. history at the time.  In 2009, the ShakeOut expanded to the whole state.  New Zealand also joined in with its own Great West Coast ShakeOut.  In 2010, Nevada and Guam held their own drills as well.

This year, British Columbia and Oregon held a ShakeOut in January, on the anniversary of a 9.0 magnitude quake in the Cascadia subduction zone, off the coast of the northwestern U.S.  The first Central United States ShakeOut took place in April.  Several states, including Nevada, Oregon and Idaho, will join California for its fourth annual ShakeOut at 10:20 am on 10/20/11.  So far, over 8 million people have registered to take part.  Anyone can register on the ShakeOut.org website.  They can also download an audio broadcast, including earthquake sound effects, to play during the drill.

The site contains stories and photos from past ShakeOuts.  Many organizations and communities have conducted disaster response exercises in addition to the basic drill.  In 2008, elderly residents of the Vallecito Mobile Home Park posted “okay” or “help” signs in their windows for volunteer rescuers to find.  The staff of Biola University in La Mirada went even further in 2010, staging a campus-wide simulation in cooperation with the fire department and local CERT.  They applied fake wounds to the “injured” and simulated a building collapse complete with victims trapped inside.  The cities of Hermosa Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes used last year’s ShakeOut to test their new Emergency Operations Centers.  Some companies gave their employees incentives to participate in the drill.  Earthpack, in Irvine, taped chocolate bars under the desks for people to find when they took cover.  PBC Companies did the same with raffle tickets, awarding a gift card to the winner.

A common theme in the stories from past ShakeOuts is how the drill prompted people to think more about preparedness.   The U.S.G.S. predicts that Southern California will experience a substantial earthquake within the next thirty years.  Participating in the 2011 ShakeOut is a good first step toward getting ready for the real thing.

On the 20th, the Red Cross of Greater L.A. will be at Bruin Plaza on the UCLA campus from 10am to 2pm to answer all of your earthquake questions.

On Saturday the 22nd, they’ll host Mas Listo Mas Seguro, a preparedness fair for the Spanish speaking community.  The family event will take place at the Union Pacific Empowerment Center, at 4315 Union Pacific Avenue, from 9:30am to 2:30 pm.  Classes in hands only CPR and general preparedness will be taught in Spanish throughout the day.

Laura spoke to Red Cross L.A. Region CEO Paul Schulz about lessons learned from rescuers in Chile and the devastation in Japan, and the importance of resiliency in the face of disaster.  Preparedness Education specialist Lisa Klink demonstrated how to take the first step to being prepared by assembling an emergency kit.

L.A. County Battalion Fire Chief Larry Collins with USAR (Urban Search & Rescue) took us to recent disasters through the eyes of a fire fighter who has been on the front lines trying to save as many lives as possible.  U.S.G.S. Chief Scientist Lucy Jones, who has been studying earthquakes for over 30 years, shared her thoughts about whether we’re sufficiently prepared, as well as her predictions about the next quake.

Volunteers from CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) discussed how they’ve prepared to help their community in the event of a disaster, including medical operations, disaster preparedness and search and rescue.

Victims from the Northridge quake reflected on what they experienced and advised other residents to get prepared.  Laura also reviewed what happened at California State University at Northridge and how the campus has recovered.

She took a tour of the Emergency Operations Center in downtown Los Angeles and saw how it’s uniquely engineered to survive the magnitude of an 8.0 earthquake.  Dean Reese of Ready America showed us products that can save your family from injury in the event of an earthquake.  Denise Fleck with Sunny-Dog Ink warned us not to forget about family pets when disaster strikes.

Segments of the special featuring Paul Schulz and Lisa Klink are available on the CBS2 News on Demand site.

The first thing to consider is the structure itself.  If your house was built more than 25 years ago, it may need retrofitting.  The wood frame may not be bolted firmly enough to the concrete foundation.  The foundation itself may be cracked or weak.  Masonry and cripple walls may need to be reinforced.  Even newer homes may have vulnerable areas, such as a room built over the garage.  Hire a contractor with experience in seismic retrofitting to inspect your home and do any work needed to strengthen it.  You’ll need the proper building permits.  The California Seismic Safety Commission (www.seismic.ca.gov) has a useful downloadable booklet called “Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Safety.”

Once the structure is secure, protect important items from damage.  Strap your water heater to the wall.  California has adjusted its safety requirements since the Loma Prieta and Northridge earthquakes.  You now need two straps, on the top and bottom of the tank.  Most hardware stores carry strapping kits.  Put flexible gas connectors on all appliances.  Consider installing an automatic gas shut-off valve where it comes into your house.

Look around each room in your home.  In an earthquake, what could fall?  Move mirrors and framed art away from beds, and hang them on closed hooks.  Secure tall furniture and electronics to the wall with nylon straps.  Attach the straps to wall studs with screws.  Nails may pull out during a hard shake. Move heavy objects to lower shelves.  Keep computers and monitors from sliding around with straps or Velcro.  For smaller items, use Velcro or museum putty to stick them down.  You can also attach a small lip to the edge of shelves to prevent things from falling.  Put latches on cabinet doors so they’ll stay shut.

During an earthquake, most injuries are caused by collapsing structures and falling objects.  Take the time now to get your home ready and you’ll suffer less damage to people and property when the next one hits.

PREPARE! You are the EPICENTER of Change.

Get a KIT • Make a PLAN • Be INFORMED • Take a CLASS • VOLUNTEER  

From March 3-31, an interactive exhibit called “PREPARE! You Are the Epicenter of Change” will be on display in the Good Works Space at Fred Segal in Santa Monica. As part of the promotion of National Red Cross month, the exhibit focuses on how preparedness begins with the individual, who then creates the change needed to help others — including family members, friends, businesses and even pets.

 Southern California residents are no strangers to the constant threat of disaster. The Los Angeles region represents over 25% of the national risk for earthquakes, yet over 60% of people have not taken any preparedness steps. With the help of the Good Works Space, “a storefront devoted to three things we could all use a little more of these days, inspiration, self-expression and contemplation,” people who view the exhibit will leave more prepared then when they arrived.

Partnering with BARKCODE, the exhibit will focuson utilizing SCANLIFE technology as a means to promote preparedness and demonstrate an innovative new way to help prepare your pets in a disaster. SCANLIFE technology uses a 2-Dimensional Code that can be directed to a specific web page that can provide “real time” emergency information. Throughout the exhibit will be 2-D codes that link visitors to different preparedness sites giving them the infomration they need to get prepared. When used to strengthen your disaster planning for pets, BarkCode provides “On the Spot Identification with the ability to help the pet home even if the owner cannot be reached using your Spartphone to scan the ID tag without having to take them to a vet or shelter.”  

Members of the public can purchase disaster kitsand gift cards for Red Cross training classes. The exhibit is open March 3-31, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.  For more information please contact Hilary Anderson at: andersonh@arcla.org or (310) 445-2676.

The Good Works Space is located at Zero Minus Plus, a store in the Fred Segal Center at:
500 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401-2406

Enjoy the world premiere of Episode One of The Magnitude.

The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region has produced a five-part romantic comedy web series called The Magnitude, which follows a group of young Angelinos as they prepare for a major earthquake. From a scavenger hunt for emergency supplies to earthquake drills before watching the Sunday game, the overall message in each episode is that disaster preparedness is fun, easy and important.

THE PLAYERS

What YOU can do:

1. Get A Kit
2. Make  A Plan
3. Be Informed

What you can do for OTHERS:

• Get Trained

The Red Cross offers hundreds of courses a year to provide volunteers and members of our community with training to allow them to better serve as disaster responders, first aid/CPR and preparedness educators, and citizens of a global humanitarian movement.

• Volunteer

Volunteers are the heart of the American Red Cross and we’d like you to join us. We depend on over 1.4 million volunteers nationwide and hundreds in the Los Angeles area to carry out our mission as the world’s leading humanitarian relief agency.

As a Red Cross volunteer, you can help people displaced by disaster, or go into schools and show children how to prepare for a fire. You can teach CPR and First Aid, or go out into the community spreading the Red Cross mission. Most of all, Red Cross volunteers help save lives… and what could be more fulfilling than that?

The Earthquake Safety Checklist is available in 9 languages and large print.
(English |Large Print English | Arabic | Chinese | French | Haitian-Creole | Korean | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese)

What To Do At Home:

• Find safe places in every room, such as under a desk or against an inside wall. During an earthquake, these are places to take cover where nothing can fall on you.
• Practice Drop, Cover and Hold On! at least twice a year. Drop under a nearby table or desk and hold on to it. Cover your head with your free arm. If you are not near a table or desk, sit against an interior wall away from anything that might break or fall on you and Drop, Cover and Hold On! Don’t forget, teach your children to Drop, Cover and Hold On!
• Designate an out of town contact for your family. We all remember how phone lines go down during an emergency. When they come back up, it will be easier to call out of town or even out of state than locally. During an emergency, each person in your family should contact that person. The out of town contact will be able to tell each of you where the other is when you may not able to call each other. You can print our Emergency Contact Card and start now.
• Experts are available and very willing to help you find additional ways to protect your home, such as bolting your house to its foundation or training to use a fire extinguisher.
• Inform others, like babysitters or caregivers, of your emergency plan.

Eliminate Hazards

• Secure your furniture. Unsecured furniture may fall on you during an earthquake.

Prepare a Disaster Supplies Kit For Your Home, Work, and Car. Learn How Here.

Know What to Do When the Shaking Begins

• DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! Move only a few steps to a nearby safe place. Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit. Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.
• If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow.
• If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground.
• If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.

Identify What to Do After the Shaking Stops

• Check yourself for injuries. Protect yourself from further danger by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and work gloves.
• Check others for injuries. Give aid according to your level of training… sometimes the best aid can be provided just by being a caring presence.
• Look for and extinguish small fires. Eliminate fire hazards. Turn off the gas if you smell gas or think it’s leaking. (Remember, only a professional should turn it back on.)
• Listen to the radio for instructions.
• Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON!
• Inspect your home for damage. Get everyone out if your home is unsafe.
• Expect phone systems to be overloaded during an emergency. Use the telephone only to report life-threatening emergencies.

More on Earthquakes:
7 Common Earthquake Myths: Exposed!
7 Steps to Earthquake Safety
Common Earthquake Terms

Want to share this information? The Earthquake Safety Checklist is available for download.