California receives U.S. funding for earthquake early-warning system
California has finally received congressional funding of up to 5 
million dollars to initiate an EARTHQUAKE WARNING SYSTEM in 2015.
From its inception California's effort was hampered by funding problems, which slowed the installation and upgrades of hundreds of sensors that will be located throughout high potential earthquake zones that will instantaneously measure ground movement.
Earthquake Engineering specialists, Seismology Researchers and related members of the Scientific Community have designed a high tech computer system that will relay warnings faster than the actual speed of seismic earthquake waves traveling through the Earth's surface.
The system is currently up and running with San Francisco's BART commuter rail system and is being used to warn trains in transit so they can slow down before a seismic event. This will hopefully work towards reducing the risk of derailment and possibly even collisions.
According to Ron Lin, Los Angeles Times Reporter, "Early warnings were successfully generated this year in Southern California after several moderate earthquakes. Officials testing the system in San Francisco got eight seconds of warning before strong shaking arrived from the 6.0 Napa earthquake in August."
He went onto say "Enough sensors are in the ground in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas to expand the number of testers, but there have been problems elsewhere. The system struggled during the recent swarm of earthquakes in the Mammoth Lakes area. The early warning system works on simple principle: The shaking from an earthquake travels slower than the speed of today's telecommunications system."
"For example, it would take more than a minute for a 7.8 earthquake near the Salton Sea to shake up Los Angeles, 150 miles away. Seismic sensors stationed at the Salton Sea could detect the first waves in as little as 5 seconds, and transmit a warning throughout Southern California."
He went onto add "In this scenario, Palm Springs would have 20 seconds of warning; San Bernardino, 45 seconds; and the Los Angeles area, more than a minute. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey say they need $16.1 million a year to build and maintain such a network for California, Oregon and Washington state."
"They said they need to more than double the existing network of 400 sensor stations, mostly by adding equipment in areas outside of Southern California. An additional 275 stations are needed in Oregon and Washington, said Doug Given, earthquake early-warning coordinator for the USGS. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) called the $5 million in funding "a down payment," but said "more funding is necessary to complete the system." "We must get it done before the next major earthquake strikes," Feinstein said in a statement."
Albeit this is a very expensive technology won't prevent or deter a seismic event given that it only offers a very short amount of time to respond at least it could give people an opportunity to run for cover, duck and cover, get away from potential falling glass and debris and hopefully get out of harms way quick enough to save their lives or minimize potential injury.
Progress is slow when it comes to working against the forces of Mother Nature. But we must continue trying to do everything possible to mitigate the potential for bodily injury or loss of life.
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