| Berkeley,
California (Thursday, March 1, 2001) –
The 6.8 Richter magnitude earthquake that shook the Pacific
Northwest serves as a vivid reminder that we live in earthquake
country. The damage was relatively minor for that magnitude
earthquake, because the epicenter was so deep in the earth (32.6
miles). A similar magnitude earthquake on one of our faults would be
much more devastating.
In
a catastrophic earthquake, government resources may not be available
for several days following the event. It is essential that every
household and family be prepared to survive on its own for 5-7 days
until these services can be restored. Here are five critical steps
to take to be prepared:
- Make
an evacuation plan for yourself and your family and decide where
family members will meet after the evacuation.
- Arrange
a long-distance contact that family members will call because
local phone lines may be jammed.
- Prepare
an emergency supply kit with provisions for at least five days,
including water (one gallon per person per day), canned food, a
can opener, flashlight with extra batteries, AM radio with
batteries, money, prescription medications, and warm clothes.
Don’t forget food and medications for your pets. You should
also have emergency supplies in your car and at your work site.
- Prepare
your home, including bolting the foundation to the house,
latching cupboards, and securing hazards, including heavy
bookcases and the water heater. Know how to turn off your gas,
electricity and water, if necessary.
- Get
to know your neighbors, especially the elderly and disabled.
Berkeley’s
Office of Emergency Services offers free training in emergency
preparedness to anyone over 18 who lives or works in Berkeley.
Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) classes include Basic
Personal Preparedness, Disaster First Aid, Light Search and Rescue,
Fire Suppression, Earthquake Retrofitting, and more. For more
information, call 510-644-8736, or visit the website at http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/fire/oes.html.
Project
Impact is a federally funded program designed to create Disaster
Resistant Communities. Project Impact focuses on outreach efforts to
tenants, homeowners, and property owners regarding technical and
fiscal assistance programs available in Berkeley. For information,
call 510-705-8168, or visit http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/projectimpact/
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