November 13th, 2008 at 10am, a massive 7.8 earthquake hits Southern California, and the epicenter is located in Palm Springs. The shaking lasts for nearly 2 minutes. Buildings are falling, roads & bridges collapse, massive fires are engulfing the city. Thousands are feared dead, many more are injured, and there is no end in sight to the devastation.
This is the worst case scenario for theGreat Southern California Shakeout.
The Great Southern California ShakeOut is based on a potential magnitude 7.8 earthquake hitting on the southern San Andreas Fault, located in the Coachella Valley— approximately 5,000 times larger than the magnitude 5.4 earthquake that shook southern California on July 29.
Dr. Lucy Jones of the U.S. Geological Survey has led a group of scientists & engineers who have been studying this scenario in great detail for the last several years. This 7.8 earthquake will last for about 2 minutes, and the waves of the quake will spread all across Southern California. Over 2000 people are projected to be killed, 50,000 injured, and over $200 billion in damages. The video below demonstrates the power of this potential disaster:
The Great Southern California Shakeout is the largest emergency drill in history, with over 5 million people participating. At 10am PST, people who have signed up for the Shakeout, people will Drop, Duck, and Cover, and "pretend" a real earthquake is occurring. Emergency personnel from the Fire Dept., Police, and Hospitals will be deployed in order to implement their disaster preparedness drills. The Shakeout is designed to increase your awareness of your need to prepare for this natural disaster.
I wrote an article a while back called "Are You Ready for the Big One?", which details what I went through when the Northridge earthquke in 1994. Back then, I was not prepared. Here is a list of things that you can do to be prepared when a natural disaster strikes:
Water- Have 1 gallon of water per person to last you 2 weeks= 14 gallons of water
Food- Get plenty of canned tuna, vegetables, baby formula, and anything non-perishable. Make sure you have a 2 week supply per person and a can opener.
First Aid Kit- Have a well-stocked first aid kit, along with any medications you are taking. Also, it might not be a bad idea to get CPR & first aid training. You may have to take care of the injured, and the training could save someone's life.
Money- Keep a supply of money for purchasing items. The ATM's will not work, and you have pay for items you may not have. Beware of unscrupulous price gougers.
Meeting Place- Make sure you have a designated meeting place in case you & your family get separated. Cell phones will most likely not work during a disaster.
Tents & Sleeping Bags- Have tents & sleeping bags available in the event that your home is uninhabitable.
Your Car- Have similar items in your car in case you are stranded away from home.
Earthquake proof your Home- Make sure large pieces of furniture are bolted to the wall, and get rid of any potential hazards that could kill you & your family.
The question is not IF a 7.8 earthquake is going to hit Southern California, but WHEN. One last question: How prepared are you for a natural disaster?
Harold - I need to learn how to write post titles like you. I saw this one and immediately clicked on it. Of course, I thought you were reporting the news, not giving the scenario, my eye never made it that far. As someone who grew up in Pennsylvania and had never experienced an earthquake until I moved to Los Angeles, I can tell you, you never expect them, but once you've felt one...you'll never forget. I didn't know much about preparation either...but I learned when I started to hear the stories of the Northridge Quake and how it affected so many people I knew. Good tips on preparation. One thing I learned from a friend of mine...when the quake stops and you're shaking like crazy and a bit freaked out, don't go outside to calm down and have a cigarette. He did it during the Northridge Quake and the police started yelling at him. He had never thought about the potential gas line breaks that could have occured and the damage he could have caused. He was just looked to calm his nerves.
You can never be too prepared, that is the purpose of the Shakeout. Unfortunately, most people won't be able to take care of themselves. I was watching the local TV news poll on how many people would be participating in the drill. Sadly, 64% of those surveyed were NOT taking part in the drill.
I was totally freaked out when the Northridge Quake hit in 1994. The hard part of that was that it occurred so early in the morning that it was still dark.
This drill is a wake-up call for disaster preparedness...whether an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, etc. We all need to know how to care of ourselves, and the people around us. Thanks for commenting.
Shoot - You had me going for a moment there, but thought it odd I hadn't seen the disaster on CNN today. Your preparedness steps are still very valid and vital however. Not only for earthquakes, but floods, and in today's world - financial disasters.
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It is always good to be prepard you never know when you will need it most, and then good luck getting the supplies-Dinah Lee