Acting Cal EMA Secretary Urges Californians to Prepare in Commemoration of San Fernando Earthquake Anniversary
*The following news release was issued by Cal EMA on Tuesday, February 8, 2011.*
SACRAMENTO – February 9, 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of the magnitude 6.6 San Fernando earthquake. The early-morning temblor caused dozens of deaths, more than 2,000 injuries and more than $483 million in property losses. In conjunction with the anniversary of the earthquake, Mike Dayton, Acting Secretary for the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), issued the following statement:
"Forty years have passed since Mother Nature rudely reminded longtime residents of Southern California that earthquakes on faults other than the San Andreas can cause deaths, injuries and property losses.
"Every disaster teaches us lessons. The San Fernando earthquake was no different. The collapse of two three-story buildings at the San Fernando Veterans Administration Hospital and the first floor of Olive View Medical Center's psychiatric building showed us that hospitals were vulnerable to earthquakes. The collapses involving bridges and freeway overpasses showed us that retrofit of those systems was also needed.
"Over the past four decades California's first responders, emergency managers, engineers and earthquake scientists have made significant progress in addressing many of the challenges posed by the San Fernando earthquake and subsequent disasters, including adoption of Standardized Emergency Management System, participation in the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, development and enhancement of the California Integrated Seismic Network, enhanced public-private sector coordination as well as involvement by dozens of public agencies in the Golden Guardian exercise and millions of Californians in the Great California ShakeOut.
"Despite these efforts, there's still work to be done, not only by government but by the general public as well. Scientists tell us it's a matter of "when, not if" the next earthquake, will occur. When it does, government will not be able to meet the immediate needs of everyone. I urge all Californians to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the San Fernando earthquake by taking the next steps in preparing your families to be on your own for at least 72 hours."
Information about earthquake preparedness is available at http://www.calema.ca.gov.
Source: http://calemanews.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/acting-cal-ema-secretary-urges-californians-to-prepare-in-commemoration-of-san-fernando-earthquake-anniversary/__._,_.___
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