The recent 18th anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake, which caused $20 billion in damage and resulted in 57 deaths, is a gentle reminder to Echo Park residents to make your home or apartment as earthquake safe as possible.
For those residents who lived through the Northridge earthquake that rocked the city at 4:31 a.m., the memories are rather terrifying. The noise of buildings shaking to their foundation is not soon forgotten. Car and burglar alarms across the city went off. Most brick chimneys in the area collapsed or were damaged; several older homes, particularly south of Sunset Boulevard, were red-tagged and eventually demolished.
The city was immediately blacked out—there was no power in Echo Park for several hours: no streetlights, ATMs or gas station pumps worked. Radio and TV stations were also off the air and when they came on, battery operated radios and TVs were the only way to access information. Cell phones were not the norm, so reaching friends or neighbors was via landline only or the old-fashioned way, knocking on doors.
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Take a moment to find out if your home or apartment is earthquake ready.
Lessons learned
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For one Echo Park resident the damage was immediatly apparent. Her chimney collapsed, bricks tumbled into the living room and outside, although further house damage was minimal. She credits that to an ample use of earthquake putty that keept breakables in place and book cases bracketed to walls.
After the Northridge earthquake, Seismic retrofitting became a local pastime–the process by which homes are bolted to their foundations and cripple walls reinforced with plywood or bracing. Checking under a home or apartment for earthquake bracing is a good idea especially if a property is being considered for purchase. Dare to prepare offers a lengthy list of steps to be taken in order to help secure older buildings.
Today’s regulations include the double strapping of hot water heaters to walls. Common sense dictates that care should be taken in heavily trafficked areas: avoid hanging heavy framed items over beds or glass framed artworks near doorways—cuts from shattered glass were one of the most reported earthquake injuries. Also keep slip-on shoes near the bed and extra pair of walking shoes in car or office, in case of emergency.
Earthquake kits
The Red Cross details the basic items to put into an emergency preparedness kit and has its own store that sells such kits. Essential are flashlights that work (the recent December windstorm caused extensive power outages—flashlights and camplights came in handy), first aid kit, battery operated radio, crowbar, trashbags and a camp stove or portable stove with fuel. Put the kit somewhere that is easy to access. If there are pets, remember to keep extra supplies for them on hand too.
Parents and children should have a clear meet-up plan and emergency contacts; relying on cell phones that may not work could be risky. Check with schools to confirm emergency policies as well.
The Los Angeles Fire Department prepares volunteers to be part of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)—classes are now ongoing. Better to be prepared than panic.
