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April Is Earthquake Preparedness Month In California. Are You Ready?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments 521400, 1501015, 01795582

April Is Earthquake Preparedness

Month In California. Are You Ready?

 

 

April Is the official month dedicated to "EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS" 

  

 

 

There are things you and I can and should do to help ourselves, our families and our neighbors. There are also things you need to know about that may not only help you minimize loss of life but also devastating losses to your home and property.

 

TOTAL LOSS

 

 

“Displacement”

 

 

Could You Be At Risk of Being 

 

Forced Out of Your Home After An

 

 

“Earthquake”?

 

 

RED TAGGED

 

Unlike wind, fire and flooding events that can and have wiped out entire communities “Earthquakes”  can and usually do give you a second chance if proper and preventative measures are implemented.

 

Next to loss of life and personal injury the biggest tragedy and challenge in the aftermath of any disaster is total loss of the use of your home aka  "Displacement"

 

There are three levels of classifications your home may be subjected to if it is damaged in an “Earthquake” as well as many other types of disasters.  

 

 

6.9 MAGNITUDE LOMA PRIETA EARTHQUAKE

 

 

GREEN TAG: Ah! You will be in heaven compared to your less fortunate YELLOW AND RED TAGGED neighbors. Your life will not change much. After you pick up the broken glass, clean up the debris, negotiate (argue) with your tight fist-Ed insurance adjuster, make some minor repairs and tidy up a bit your life will go on pretty much as usual.  

 

You won’t be challenged by the same inconveniences as many of you’re YELLOW and RED tagged neighbors will be. But most importantly you won’t be having to look for temporary housing which in times like these can be a gigantic if not impossible task unto itself.

 

YELLOW TAG: If this happens your home is deemed somewhat structurally damaged but HABITABLE. This is HUGE! Here the homeowner is given a punch list with a certain window of time in which to make necessary repairs but may at least still be allowed to occupy the home. Naturally this is better than being out on the street.

 

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE IN HEALDSBERG

 

RED TAG: Here the homeowner is DEAD in the water when they are given the news that their home is condemned by the health and safety and building departments and they are not allowed to re-occupy it and often not even allowed back in to gather personal belongings and keepsakes. 

 

Oh and by the way, these unfortunately displaced folks  will be looking for a relative or friend to bunk up with or a motel to check into, if they can find one, for an indefinite period of time while they figure out if, how and when they’ll be able to repair and/or replace and finally move back into their home.

 

Those so unfortunate to have become "Displaced" will probably even have to get used to driving a distance to get to their favorite store, doctor, dentist, etc.

 

Getting their children to and from school could be a challenge unto itself.  That’s if the school was not too damaged and deemed unsafe in which case After the 2001 magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake, this school in the Puget Sound area of Washington was closed for repair (Earthquake Engineering Research Institute photo).children will have to attend another school/s which, as parents know, can be quite traumatic for all.

 

Add to that the agonizing experience of dealing with not to friendly or sympathetic insurance adjusters and claims, contractors, permits, inspectors, utility companies, etc. 

Photo: After the 2001 magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake, this school in the Puget Sound area of Washington was closed for repair (Earthquake Engineering Research Institute photo).

 

The "Displaced" will be in for a very disruptive if not horrific experience that could go on for months and regrettably in some cases for years.

 

Now for some more positive news. You Don't Have To Become A Statistic. There are things you can and should do to protect you and your family from the inconvenience of becoming a "Displaced" VICTIM". 

 

If you live in a circa 1940's or older home you need to have your crawl space inspected by a licensed, bonded and insured "FOUNDATION SPECIALIST"  to make sure your HOME is securely bolted to its foundation.

 

SHEAR PANEL YOUR CIRCA 1940'S & OLDER HOMES

 

The number of foundation bolts, square feet of shear panel, and floor-to-wall connections (brackets) that are required to seismically retrofit your home varies depending on its size, weight and construction methodology. Remember, earthquakes will find the weak spots in your home. So, if you add bolts but not plywood when and where neede, you will still have a problem when the ground shakes!

 

 

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED MOBILE & MANUFACTURED HOME

 

If you live in a "MOBILE" or "MANUFACTURED HOME"  make sure your home has a California Housing & Community Development Department (HCD) approved  "Earthquake Resistant Bracing System" (ERBS) under it. If it doesn't you need to have them installed before then next event and believe me there will be a next event.

 

ABESCO "TUFF ONE" EARTHQUAKE BRACE

 

The Tuf-1 Permanant Foundation is designed to be a retro-fit foundation.  This product is an engineered foundation, and can be stamped for any state.  The systems also has FHA, HCD & HUD approvals.  The Tuf-1 can also be modified into a Earthquake Resistant Bracing System or (ERBS).  This simple product can turn your Manufactured Home into "REAL PROPERTY" and ready for bank lending. 

 


April Is Earthquake Preparedness

Month In California. Are You Ready?

 

EARTHQUAKE DESTROYED APARTMENT BUILDING

 

I take this very seriously inasmuch as I've been an active disaster response contractor for over 3 decades and have worked in the aftermath of myriad disasters ranging from 6 major earthquakes since 1986 as well as fires, floods and the aftermath of Hurricane Charlie and the fearsome foursome that ravaged the entire state of Florida in 2004. 

There are many things you as active and community conscience citizens, stakeholders and RE or other professionals can and should do to reach out to your family, friends, neighbors and clients. I will be re posting a series of earthquake related posts and misc information that I have been sharing within my sphere of influence. Please feel free to repost them however and whenever you see fit.

 

 

Call On Us Anytime To BE Your

Go To Guys 

For Information & Knowledge about

Earthquake Retrofitting and Foundation Repair for your

HOME and MOBILE or MANUFACTURED HOME. 

800 909-1110 Or call me on my cell. 760 815-6977

 

Posted by

Why To Choose Us?

John DL Arendsen, Broker, General & Manufactured Home Contractor and Dealer 

TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments

TAG (The Arendsen Group) Real Estate Sales & Investments is a full service, one-stop, turnkey, family owned and operated real estate brokerage, General Contractor, Manufactured Home Contractor, Developer, Investor, Property Manager, Interior Design, Engineering, architectural, Landscape design, Expert Witness, Consulting, Curative Title and Troubleshooting company with over 100 years of combined experience in the San Diego real estate sales, construction, design & development arena.

 

 

 

 

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Comments (35)

John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Roy Kelley Thanks my friend. Please feel free to reblog it and share it in anyway you wish. It's important for as many folks as possible to think about the importance of being prepared fro any type of disaster.

Apr 24, 2016 07:46 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Hella M. Rothwell, Broker/Realtor® You're right about that. It hasn't been much of a deal breaker for most if any folks and folks keep coming to Cali no matter what the taxes, political climate or EQ danger is. Go Figure.

Apr 24, 2016 07:48 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Lottie Kendall Thank you so much for reblogging this post. The more folks that know about it the better. They've finally just passed a pretty significant spending bill in LA for retrofitting old brick buildings. Darn good place to start I think as LA would be buried alive in a 7 point EQ.

Apr 24, 2016 07:50 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Myrl Jeffcoat You're very fortunate to not be one of the tens of millions of Californians to not live in a Zone 4 seismic area. Most of Sacramento is in the 2 to 3 seismic zone. 

FYI: heres a seismic chart you may find interesting:

california seismic hazard map

Apr 24, 2016 07:54 AM
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Be prepared, be safe.

Apr 24, 2016 09:22 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Mary Yonkers LOL! I see you've been busy today. You've hit both the Q/A and the post. Big thanks. Just pass this one along. It's so important.

Apr 24, 2016 09:51 AM
Mary Yonkers

Ok!  I saw Roger D. Mucci reblog.  His territory is just a few miles across Ohio/PA border

Apr 24, 2016 10:09 AM
Diana Zaccaro Broker Associate
ZOOM Realty Group - Cocoa Beach, FL
"The Accidental Blogger" Cocoa Beach, Florida

I remember the fearsome foursome...how could I forget? We always prepared and actually prepared more than usual before evacuating for Frances and Jeanne. What amazed me was how many people did not prepare because they were sure we would dodge the bullet. That year, in just a couple months, we went from Hurricane Amnesia to Hurricane Fatigue...we haven't had a major storm since so most folks here have reverted to Hurricane Amnesia.

 

Apr 24, 2016 01:02 PM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Great post! I'm sure it is going to be featured. 

It should be! 

Apr 24, 2016 02:37 PM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

John DL Arendsen - bookmarked it for future reference and sharing with my clients - though earthquakes are rare in our area.

Apr 24, 2016 03:10 PM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Diana Zaccaro Great reply! Your mention of Francis reminds me of my own experience with it. I was in Gainesville taking a course for my Florida Contractors license the day before Francis hit.

My test was scheduled on the morning Francis was whirling her way up State. I no sooner finished the test checked out of the Marriott Courtyard and started driving when Francis came barreling down on me and followed me almost all the way to Atlanta.

I never saw so much thunder, lighting and horizontal rain as I did during that Wild Hatters Ride. I was amazed to see all the Asphland tree and branch removal trucks actually heading South right into it all doing what was required of them.

BTW, love your Amnisia/Fatigue reference. I'm sure that's exactly what's happening in Cali as well. We take so much for granted. Then when someting happens we're the first ones in line with our hands out waiting for the Red Cross and FEMA to come to our rescue. Can't tell you how much helplessness I witnessed. Very pathetic.

Apr 24, 2016 10:37 PM
Diana Zaccaro Broker Associate

John DL Arendsen Our experience with Frances was quite different...we always evacuate since we are on a barrier island and usually go to a hotel in Orlando. A friend who lives south of Sarasota invited us to stay with him instead so we did out prep here and headed to the west coast. The day Frances made landfall, we watched the news and saw an building burning during the storm. The next day, we got a call that it was the buildling of the compan my husband worked for that burned to the ground and asking us to come back that day.


I remember driving I75 and there was a convoy of National  Guard in front of and behind us. They were leaving SW FL where they were assigned after Charlie and were escorting an oil tanker full of gas to the beaches. It was very discomforting to see all the jeeps and the guardsmen with rifles.


We arrived home in the dark (no power for a week, 10 days of no phone) and unloaded the car by flashlight. FEMA and the Red Cross were here and that was a blessing as the supermarkets had no power so could only buy what was on the sheleves and most restaurants either had damage or no power or both so food and ice was in short supply.


I can't believe you left and drove into the outer bands of the storm...I would have hunkered down at the hotel for a day or two..


 

Apr 25, 2016 04:10 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Inna Ivchenko Big thanks. I just want as many folks as possible to get and stay prepared the best way they can because we're long overdue. Not IF but WHEN. Feel free to pass it along to every/anyone you know.

Apr 24, 2016 10:40 PM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Praful Thakkar Having a little emergency stash safely tucked away is great for any emergency. No matter where we live we're potentially vulnerable for something be it earthquake, fire, flood, wind or even terrorism nowadays unfortunately.

Apr 24, 2016 10:42 PM
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

That's one of the many reasons we choose to live in Arizona John DL Arendsen - it's earthquake avoidance!  

Apr 24, 2016 11:00 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Thanks to Roger D. Mucci ,shaken with a twist, for the reblog.

Apr 25, 2016 01:16 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers That's as good as any reason I guess, however, when you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen and become a CaliZonian. LOL!!

Apr 25, 2016 01:46 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Margaret Rome, Baltimore Maryland no doubt Roger D. Mucci is a GEM of a GENTLEMAN. I'd love to meet him eyeball to eyeball someday.

Apr 25, 2016 02:00 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

John DL Arendsen I have had the pleasure and believe me. Once is not enough!

Apr 25, 2016 09:20 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Diana Zaccaro I was a wayward soul for sure but I was on a tight schedule and had to get to Tennessee and meet with one of my major suppliers to line up materials and supplies to truck back down to Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte.

I actually made it all the way the I-95 from Gainsville to Hoenwald, TN in one day. Conducted all my biz then next day and left early the next morning with two truckloads of materials heading back down I-75 with all the FEMA trucks and insurance adjusters.

Never saw so many State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, magnetic signs in my life. Not even after the Northridge Earthquake in '94. I spent from Oct-Jan just doing demo and cleaning up debris from mobilehome parks that were lambasted all over the place.

We even had to use cherry pickers to pick pieces of aluminum rooftops from the tops of trees. I'll never forget one particular sight. I still see images of it in my mind.

It was about the stern of a 24 foot fishing boat hull with an Evenrude outboard motor still attached to it parked between the branches of an 80-100 foot tree. The entire front end of the boat was no where to be found.

Mother Nature is no one to fool around with. When they say get out of Dodge don't wait for the door to hit you in the real. I could go on and on but I'm sure I could never top your experiences. Thanks for indulging me.

Apr 25, 2016 11:40 AM
Anna Hatridge
R Gilliam Real Estate LLC - Farmington, MO
Missouri Realtor with R Gilliam Real Estate LLC

Good reminder!  Coming over from Lottie Kendall 's reblog.  We don't have very big quakes, but we do have a small one almost every year.

May 02, 2016 02:17 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

They don't have to be BIG to be BAD Anna Hatridge . Never hurts to be prepared.

May 02, 2016 02:30 AM