to the United States Geological Survey, there is a 62 percent chance that a 6.7-or -greater earthquake will hit the Bay Area between now and 2032. Are you ready?
Morgan Hill is situated between three major fault lines – the Calaveras to the east, and the San Andreas and Sargent to the west. When a big quake or “the” big quake arrives, will you and your family be safe in your home during the shaking? Will you be ready to survive for several days without municipal water, without access to modern technology like telephones, electricity, natural gas? If not, now is the time to prepare.
Before a quake hits, prepare your home. These are just a few of the highlights Bolt or strap heavy pieces of furniture and equipment like bookcases and water heaters to the wall. Know how to turn off gas and water lines to your home. Create disaster Exactly 100 years and one week ago today, a big earthquake devastated San Francisco and the Bay Area. We don’t call it “the” big one because according kits with food, water, medication, flashlights, radios, batteries and emergency cash and stow them in a safe place. Periodically replace the perishables (batteries are perishable, too) in the kits.
A comprehensive brochure called “Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country,” with tips for preparing for an earthquake is available from the USGS on the Web at http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/15/.
But the responsibility is not just an individual one. Our municipalities have a responsibility to ensure that all buildings within their borders meet current seismic safety standards. Those that do not must be brought into compliance or red-tagged. We simply cannot allow cries of “it’s too expensive” from business or property owners to put the lives of innocent bystanders at risk from buildings that crumble in a temblor.
We all know that earthquakes are a real and present danger in this beautiful part of the world we call home. The centennial remembrances of the 1906 San Francisco quake are an important reminder: It’s up to us – both individuals and our governmental agencies – to get ready for the unpredictable big one now, while there’s still time.
