There was an earthquake on Sunday night here in Southern California – it felt like a small one out in the San Fernando Valley, but my friends who live south of LAX said the 4.7 quake gave them a pretty rough jolt.
By all accounts, the damage and injuries were minimal. But it was a good reminder that an earthquake can happen at any time and it's important to be ready for one.
The booklet Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country has a lot of good, basic information. You can read it online, download it as a PDF, or order free copies.
One thing we've done that puts our minds at ease is assemble some emergency kits w/ essentials like a hand-crank radio and flashlight, work gloves, nonperishable food, etc. The California Office of Emergency Services has a comprehensive checklist (pdf).
This earthquake has reminded me that I need to update the kits with fresh food and clothes for the kids. I think I will also replace the first aid supplies while I'm at it!
Previously: Emergency Preparedness Reminders
3 comments:
i'd say i'm not ready but i have been thinking about it recently. i'm not normally a fan of bottled water but i do have some in the garage in case of an earthquake now
Living in central Texas, I'm pretty much spared the worst of any natural disaster. Though I still fall in "Tornado Alley," I very rarely see anything beyond a good ol' thunderstorm. But, I have considered moving to L.A. and was just curious, how often do the earthquakes happen out there? I know it can happen at anytime, but are there certain times of year where they're more prone to occur? I travel to L.A. once every three months or so and have never experienced an earthquake, thank goodness, but I do wonder about it.
What does a typical earthquake cost in terms of damage and repair? I assume this also depends on the size, but do homes in California require earthquake insurance? Is such a product even offered? Forgive the twenty questions, but I've never experienced it so I just don't know.
Kristy - Send me an email (cfoblog [at] gmail [dot] com) and I'll tell what little I know about earthquakes and insurance. :)
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