SHAKE, RATTLE and ROLL Southern California Earthquake Preparedness From A to Z

1
SHAKE, RATTLE and ROLLSouthern California
Earthquake PreparednessFrom A to Z

• San Diego Chapter of the ACP
• April 15, 2008

2
How Prepared Are You?

• It was a cold and stormy night. Dogs barked in
  the distance and as two cats yowled. It started
  out as a gentle swaying motion, like a hula
  dancer just warming up. Then things really began
  to rock as the windows started shaking and
  pictures on the bookcase danced along its top.
  Something crashed to the ground and shattered in
  the other room as the bed rattled and rolled and
  the armoire toppled forward blocking the doorway.
  Eric awoke in a cold sweat happy to find that it
  was just a bad dream.
• He knew he was unprepared for an earthquake and
  that his company was too. Then he felt the bed
  start to shake for real as the dresser banged
  against the wall. The windows were rattling just
  like they had in the dream only this time car
  alarms were also going off outside. Street
  lights flickered and then went out just before he
  felt the floor heave and then kick. Eric knew
  this wasnt a dream - it was a nightmare!

• California rests on two tectonic plates moving in
  opposite directions. Thousands of geologic
  faults in the earth crust are continually being
  loaded and unloaded through the processes of
  lateral shifting and the periodic release of
  built-up stress through earthquakes.
• Scientists have been predicting a devastating
  earthquake in Southern California for decades, an
  event more intense and more damaging than the
  Northridge quake. Precise Seismic Activity still
  cannot yet be Accurately predicted so, for the
  foreseeable future, earthquakes will still strike
  without warning even though we know they will
  happen eventually.
• How well are you and your company prepared to
  deal with a truly significant earthquake
  resulting in local damage? Just how bad could it
  be and what can we expect will still be intact
  after The Big One? The following can help you
  and your company to answer the question how
  prepared are you?

3
How Prepared Are You?
A

• Your room and bed start shaking in the middle of
  the night. What is the first thing you should
  you do once you realize its an earthquake?
• bonus What should you always keep right next to
  your bed?

• Curl into a ball and protect your head and neck
  with your pillow. Wait until the shaking stops
  before moving to avoid moving into danger instead
  of away from it.
• A flashlight and Hard soled slippers or shoes in
  case you have to step through broken glass or
  pottery when the shaking stops

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 13566
4
How Prepared Are You?
B

• Do faults in urban San Diego move faster or
  slower than major faults the north east?
• bonus By what factor (x2, x5, x10?)do urban san
  diego faults move faster or slower?
• Brain Teaser What does this mean for the
  probability of the next BIG ONE?

• Major urban san diego faults move slower than
  faults to the North and east.
• San Diegos faults move at roughly 1/10 the rate
  of major faults to the north and east
• The probability of the next BIG ONE is roughly
  every 2 to 3 thousand years instead of like LA
  and Imperial Valley where the probabilities are
  every 2 to 3 hundred years

Upper Screenshot Graphic Courtesy of USGS
(http//earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/)
Lower Screenshot Source Unknown
5
How Prepared Are You?
C

• How much water should you store in your
  earthquake kit?
• bonus How heavy will your kit be if you pack
  the minimum required water for each person you
  are planning to care for?
• Brain Teaser How often should you replace your
  water?

• You should ideally store At least one-gallon per
  person per day
• Multiply 8.33 pounds per gallon times 3 or more
  day times the number of people cared for by the
  kit (yup its heavy!)
• Check the expiration dates for the water in your
  kit every 6 months and replace as needed so it
  doesnt go bad

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 273
6
How Prepared Are You?
D

• You are outside when you the ground shakes and
  trees and powerlines begin swaying What should
  you do?
• bonus What is your greatest danger when out in
  the open?

• Find a clear area. Get away from trees,
  powerlines, streetlights and buildings. Drop to
  the ground asap and protect your head and neck
  using drop, cover and hold.
• Your greatest danger is falling debris or
  structures
• Do not attempt to run into a building for cover

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 1811
7
How Prepared Are You?
E

• What minimum number of days worth of supplies
  should you have in your earthquake kit?
• Bonus - what is preferred over the minimum?
• Brain Teaser How often should you double-check
  the integrity of your kit to ensure that it
  hasnt been disturbed or raided?

• 72 hours (3 days) is the minimum that you should
  be ready to survive on your own after any
  disaster,
• 5 to 7 days is preferred in the event of a major
  regional disaster like catastrophic earthquake
• Ideally once every 3 months, but at least once
  every 6 months

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 13566
8
How Prepared Are You?
F

• Should you restrain equipment at your place of
  business or just let your insurance cover the
  cost or replacing business equipment and IT
  systems?
• bonus Which takes longer, securing your
  equipment or cleaning it up ?
• Brain Teaser Which costs more securing your
  equipment or paying the deductible?

• A good insurance carrier will usually recommend
  restraining your equipment as part of loss
  minimization best practices.
• Cleaning up takes longer, especially when you
  consider putting everything back together
• Securing equipment is often less than paying the
  deductible

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 5067
9
How Prepared Are You?
G

• Which of these is unsuitable for your earthquake
  kit?
• A-Cookies/Crackers B-Eggs C-Canned Goods
• bonus How long does packaged tuna last?
• Brain Teaser Is it possible for a person to
  survive on just nuts and water?

• Obviously B (eggs) or anything else that is
  perishable or fragile
• Expiration periods for vacuum packaged tuna
  ranges from 4 to 7 years
• With enough water, the average person can survive
  eating only 8 ounces of nuts per day (Almonds
  1,300 calories/day where 1 oz 23 whole
  almonds)
• To achieve the maximum possible shelf life see
• http//www.bluediamond.com/almonds/storage/shelf.
  cfm

Photo Source Unknown
10
How Prepared Are You?
H

• When things start shaking, do you know where are
  the safe places are in your home or business?
• Bonus How many an unsafe places can you name ?

• Opinions abound as to whether stepping into the
  nearest interior door frame is or is not a good
  choice in addition to
• Ducking under a sturdy table
• Dropping and covering next to something sturdy
  like a bed or sofa can help mitigate being
  crushed
• Traditionally unsafe places like Balconies,
  Decks, Stairs, Parking Garages are not places you
  want to be in a shaker
• Standing under open beams, ceiling fans,
  chandeliers or near heavy wall-hung artwork,
  mirrors or big screen TVs can be painful

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 1923
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The Great Interior Doorway Debate

• Why You Should
• In commercial buildings interior door frames are
  typically made of light-gauge steel. things are
  more likely to fall around the door opening than
  through it
• In timber-framed residential buildings interior
  door frames are often made from joined wood with
  either a beam or light framing over the doorway.
  Just like in commercial structures, things are
  more likely to fall around the door opening than
  through it

• What else you should know or can do?
• Taking cover under a table can help shield you
  from impact from falling items, but the table may
  also collapse on top of you Investigate the
  strength and stability of the furnishings in your
  surroundings in advance of the need for use as
  cover
• Items like couches, beds, desks, credenzas,
  buffet cabinets and appliances like washers and
  dryers, deep freezers, etc. may all offer
  potential supports for safety void spaces.
  Dropping, covering and holding right next to or
  up against any of these items may allow debris
  from above to rest against these items and the
  floor creating a void-space (the triangle of
  life) where a body can avoid or minimize impact
  and crush damage

• Why You Shouldnt
• Severe ground shaking can induce swaying and
  swinging in heavy doors such that a person can be
  struck by a heavy door or lose fingers if you are
  grasping the frame for balance or support

12
How Prepared Are You?
I

• Should your earthquake kit at the office be any
  different than your what you stock at home or in
  your car?
• bonus What is one of the biggest dangers after
  an earthquake occurs at work?

• No, except for possible differences in the
  quantities of stored items. always store food
  and water and protective clothing
• One of the biggest dangers after surviving a
  quake at work is having tumbled debris and
  equipment blocking walkways and exits
• Sometimes the equipment is too heavy to move or
  tangled up in twisted electrical wires that may
  still be live so care must be taken when trying
  to safely evacuate a disrupted office or work area

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 5069
13
How Prepared Are You?
J

• Is there such a thing as earthquake weather?
• bonus If so, what does it mean?

• No. Earthquakes occur underground and can happen
  at any time and have no relationship to any type
  of weather or climate condition.
• Earthquake Weather means an earthquake can happen
  whether or not you are ready for one!
• Surprisingly, there are still some areas of the
  US where traditional folklore makes use of the
  term earthquake weather as a hot and muggy time
  when there is no wind

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 1694
14
How Prepared Are You?
K

• Name the top 3 Physical locations where you
  should be storing earthquake supplies?
• bonus Are there any other strategic places
  where you can store/hide earthquake supplies?

• 1 At Home
• Next to/nearby to an exterior doorway
• In a laundry/utility room or walk-in pantry
• In a freestanding garage, tool shed or patio
• Fully or partially buried if properly sealed
• 2 At work or school
• In external storage sheds or large
  shipping/roll-off containers
• 3 In your car or
• Parked camper or RV if not housed in a garage
• The secure hatch of a stored boat

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 5073
15
How Prepared Are You?
L

• You just survived a very strong tremor and
  realize your home or business has just suffered
  some degree of damage should you turn off the
  gas just to be safe?
• bonus What can result from turning the gas off
  on your own?

• Dont be in a hurry to shut off the gas unless
  you smell or hear an obvious leak.
• Nothing will happen when you turn the gas off,
  but you may have to wait days or weeks to get the
  utility company to turn it back on
• Every year inexperienced homeowners create
  self-inflicted injury and death by improperly
  turning the gas back on by themselves

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 9419
16
How Prepared Are You?
M

• Your water supply has been shut off or has been
  declared as contaminated and unfit for human
  consumption. You do not have purification
  tablets of the ability to boil water is there a
  viable source of water you dont know about?

• Tank-type water heaters usually hold 40 to 50
  gallons of clean water and can be drained as a
  source of drinking water if you didnt think
  ahead to provide 1 gallon of water per person per
  day- also
• avoid drinking water from pools and spas
• Water from spas and pools can be used for
  bathing/cooling and/or to refill toilets if water
  service has been interrupted

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 262
17
How Prepared Are You?
N

• Which is the better method for securing a
  freestanding bookcase or cabinet to a wall?
• A-Big Screws B-Double-stick tape C-Flexible
  Straps
• D-drywall Molly bolts, or E-none of the above
• bonus What is the best way to load freestanding
  cabinets and bookcases?
• Brain Teaser What effect needs to be minimized
  when installing restraining devices?

• Flexible straps made of nylon or a material that
  wont deteriorate over time
• Always put the heavier items closer to the ground
  so that they will have a shorter distance to fall
  and will not induce as much overturning sway
• Work to prevent the whip and snap effect. Make
  certain that straps have a small amount of give
  without allowing too much movement resulting in a
  jerk or snap when the object stops

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 5054
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How Prepared Are You?
O

• After an earthquake getting to the store may be
  difficult or impossible for some time. Name 3
  types of containers you can use for storing
  disaster supplies?
• bonus Name 2 types of mobile containers?
• Brain Teaser Can a briefcase be used for
  storing disaster supplies?

• Disaster supplies can be stored in
• - A plastic trash can with a tight lid
• 5 gallon buckets with sealed lids
• Heavy-duty duffel bags or camp gear
• Old backpacks and gym bags
• Make sure that stores are animal proof
• Yes. An old briefcase can hold enough foot and
  water for 1 person for 2 days

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 1807
19
How Prepared Are You?
P

• You are lathering up with suntan lotion when you
  feel the ground shake and your sand castle
  crumbles what should you do?
• bonus What phenomena causes a tsunami?
• Brain Teaser How far inland from the normal
  shoreline can a tsunami flood?

• Give up that great parking spot, roll up your
  beach towel and head for higher ground.
• Tsunamis (tidal waves) are caused by earthquakes
  that shift the vertical position of the sea floor
  creating a wave or waves in response to
  re-leveling the surface of the ocean
• Gaining vertical distance is what matters not the
  horizontal distance Plan on being twice as high
  as the height of the oncoming wave to be safe
• In San Diego, the tsunami advance warning from
  offshore wave-height buoys is 3-hours or less

Photo Courtesy of http//www.3mfuture.com/investme
nt/tsunami-alarm-system.htm
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How Prepared Are You?
Q

• You find following a quake that you have minor
  cuts and abrasions. A family member looks like
  they may have a broken arm and cannot help
  themselves. Whom should be treated first?
• bonus Why treat that person first?
• Brain Teaser What can happen if you wait to
  treat that person?

• Ideally treat yourself first before attempting to
  treat the injured family member unless someone is
  bleeding or in immediate danger
• Make sure the person who can administer treatment
  will be able to do so for as long as needed so
  bolster the known available resource
• Denying treatment to yourself can result in
  fatigue, shock, infection, loss of blood, No
  sense letting a small injury develop into
  something big

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 2332
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Understanding Earthquakes

• The month of April is observed as earthquake
  awareness month in California, Oregon and
  Washington, and as tsunami awareness month in
  Hawaii.
• The Richter scale is often misleading to someone
  who is trying to judge the destructiveness of a
  given event because the Richter scale measures
  the seismic energy released by an earthquake
  rather than its actual destructiveness. The
  energy released by an earthquake increases
  exponentially along the Richter scale.
• According to Wikipedia, at 4.0, an earthquake
  releases the energy equivalent to exploding 1000
  tons of TNT at 5.0, an earthquake releases the
  equivalent of 32,000 tons of TNT (equivalent to
  the Nagasaki atomic bomb). A 6.0 magnitude quake
  is equivalent to the explosion of 1,000,000 tons
  of TNT!

• To understand the destructiveness of a given
  earthquake, one must consider several factors,
  including the length of the fault, the depth of
  the movement under the earth's surface, the kinds
  of building construction in harm's way, and the
  time of day.
• On December 23, 2003, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake
  was recorded near San Simeon, California. It
  killed 2 people in Paso Robles. Three days
  later, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded
  near Bam, Iran. It killed more than 26,000
  people.
• During an earthquake, soil failure can occur on a
  slope, or in a flat area due to liquefaction of
  water-saturated sand and/or mud. The likelihood
  of soil failure depends upon seasonal factors, as
  the soil may be more stable at the beginning of a
  wet season than at the beginning of the dry
  season.

22
How Prepared Are You?
R

• You just survived a substantial temblor at home
  or at work. what should you do next?
• bonus What things should you check to see if
  they are a threat when damaged?

• If you arent already wearing protective clothing
  put on long pants, long-sleeved shirt, work
  gloves and sturdy shoes and begin a cursory
  assessment of damages.
• Gas, electric and water utilities
• Foundations of buildings on raised floor
• Windows, mirrors, chimneys and ceiling mounted
  objects such as hanging plants
• Unstable trees or power poles near your property
  or structures
• Check stability/secure attachment of interior
  ceiling-mounted lights or fans
• Document damage with photographs

Photo Source Unknown
23
How Prepared Are You?
s

• How often should you practice the drop, cover and
  hold method?
• bonus Why practice such a simple thing?
• Brain Teaser What is to be achieved by using
  drop, cover and hold ?

• Experts recommend practicing drop, cover and hold
  at least twice a year. Evac drills should occur
  at least once a year and can add drop cover and
  hold to evac drills
• It keeps you sharp on being prepared to
  immediately protect yourself so you dont go
  running for a doorway and get hurt in the process
• Curling into a tight ball will hopefully make you
  a smaller target

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 5068
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How Prepared Are You?
T

• How far away should your remoteemergency contact
  be?
• A Different neighborhood B-Different City
• C - Different State D - Different Country
• bonus What key information should your
  emergency contact know in advance?

• C Different State
• Remote Emergency Contact should know the correct
  names and contact info for
• Where you and your spouse work and each persons
  division or workgroup and managers name
• Where kids go to school their age, grade and
  teacher or student advisors name
• the familys planned reunification location
• Any special medications or medical conditions

Screenshot Graphic Courtesy of USGS
(http//earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/)
25
How Prepared Are You?
U

• You are driving on the highway and think youre
  experiencing either a flat tire or an earthquake
  what should you do?
• bonus What may be your most immediate danger?

• Pull over to a clear location away from trees,
  powerlines, large signs, light and poles, Keep
  your engine running, turn on the radio and find a
  news channel.
• Your most immediate danger may be displaced
  roadway sections such as overpasses and ramps or
  bridges damaged by the quake
• Downed power lines, signs and lighting can cause
  accidents for vehicles hitting or getting tangled
  up such debris

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 1806
26
How Prepared Are You?
V

• Following an earthquake you become aware of
  several small fires in your neighborhood what
  should you do to minimize the threat to you and
  your neighbors?
• bonus How can you best contain or suppress a
  fire?

• Have someone call the fire department to report
  the fire while you and your neighbors do your
  best to contain or suppress the fire without
  getting close enough to become injured
• To suppress a fire you cool or eliminate the fuel
  ideally doing both will keep a small fire from
  becoming a large fire
• If you decide to let something burn itself out
  make certain no one is left inside the structure

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 13535
27
How Prepared Are You?
W

• Are there ways to find out if a particular site
  is subject to greater or lesser ground shaking
  (vertical/horizontal accelerations)?
• If so, where and how?

• ShakeMap sites like those provided by the USGS
  provide near-real-time maps of ground motion and
  shaking intensity following significant
  earthquakes. Planning maps of spectral response
  accelerations are available for any US location
  based on providing the longitude and latitude for
  a given site. When reviewing results, lower
  numbers are better.
• You can find site spectral response values at
• http//earthquake.usgs.gov/research/hazmaps/desig
  n/

Screenshot Graphic Courtesy of USGS
28
How Prepared Are You?
X

• The velocity and impact of seismic shock waves
  transmitted through soil varies in accordance
  with the types of soil the shock waves travel
  through. What phenomena can happen to soils that
  are more recent, sedimentary in nature with a
  higher than average water content?
• Where is this most likely to occur?

• A process known as liquefaction occurs when soils
  with a high water content are violently shaken.
  When liquefaction occurs the affected soil
  temporarily turns to pudding and is unable to
  support loads from above. Buildings can sink or
  tip sideways when this happens.
• In San Diego, liquefaction is more likely to
  occur in river valleys, coastal plains,
  landfills, large mass fill areas and areas where
  the water table is high

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID265
29
How Prepared Are You?
Y

• It is true that commercial structures are more
  earthquake resistant than residential structures
  because they typically cost more to construct and
  are likely to have more occupants?

• Commercial buildings by nature are no more or
  less seismic resistant than residential
  structures. Only essential buildings like
  hospitals, fire stations and power plants are
  built to more stringent standards
• What determines a buildings ability to survive a
  particular degree of shaking is the geometry of
  the structure, structural frame configuration,
  materials of construction, soil response values
  and proximity to the source of the disruptive
  ground motions

Photos Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 217
9393
30
How Prepared Are You?
Z

• Is the Pacific Rim the only places in the US you
  or you company should worry about the effects of
  seismic activity?

• No, the New Madrid Seismic zone lies within the
  central Mississippi Valley, extending from
  northeast Arkansas, through southeast Missouri,
  western Tennessee, western Kentucky to southern
  Illinois
• Historically, this area has been the site of some
  of the largest earthquakes in North America.
  Between 1811 and 1812, four catastrophic
  earthquakes, with magnitude estimates greater
  than 7.0, occurred during a 3-month period.
  Hundreds of aftershocks followed over a period of
  several years

Photo Courtesy of FEMA Photo Desk ID 9415
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Earthquake Preparedness Reference Web Links

• http//lafd.org/eqbook.pdf
• http//earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/faq.php
• http//www.crew.org/business/business.html
• http//www.oc-redcross.org/show.aspx?mi2893
• http//www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/index.shtm
• http//www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/index.php
  
• http//seismo.berkeley.edu/seismo/seismo.eqinfo.ht
  ml
• http//www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0
  _3_,00.html
• http//www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0
  _500_,00.html
• http//www.nwcn.com/sharedcontent/features/flash/q
  uake/before.html
• http//www.nwcn.com/sharedcontent/features/flash/q
  uake/during.html
• http//www.oes.ca.gov/WebPage/oeswebsite.nsf/Conte
  nt/A1F2F25F0947AF848825741F006015EF?OpenDocument
  
• http//www.oes.ca.gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/9785
  96171691962788256b350061870e/A6BE1FB7591A508D88256
  CD70058FBAB?OpenDocument