Preparing for earthquakes and wildfires
SEPTEMBER IS THE MONTH TO PREPARE for basic needs in case of disaster.
My Glaswegian father-in-law would clap his hands, smile at us and say, “Well, we havenee’ died a winter yet!” when we as a family were faced with some insurmountable task. It’s a great way to get the spirits up (along with a glass of whiskey) but, September is National Preparedness Month, so let’s get real and maybe do a wee’ bit o’ prepping.
The Ready LA County website reminds us that “Emergency situations become disasters when they overwhelm the resources that are there to protect our community.” So the best thing we can all do is make sure we’ve done our due diligence in preparing ourselves and our community just in case there is a disaster.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sponsors citizen awareness in September and reminds us of the three C’s to consider: first “check” by assessing the disaster situation to make sure you and the victim are safe (from moving cars, fallen power lines, etc.). Next, “call” emergency assistance at 911. And finally “care” by providing CPR if necessary. In addition, have a location all family members know to meet at and an out-of-state contact to help coordinate communication.
The problem is, in a large disaster, first responders are often overwhelmed, and we as individuals and neighbors need to know what do when calling 911 is useless.
Kari Garcia of the Miracle Mile Residential Association rallied her community by getting neighbors to get Community Emergency Response Training and take Ready Your LA courses, both provided free through the Los Angeles Fire Department and open to all. Other than getting to know your neighbors and understanding their individual skills which may be useful for an emergency, one learns first aid skills, the location of utility shutoffs and which neighbors might need extra help.
Garcia also suggests downloading the My Shake app which will give a five-second warning for earthquakes that are a magnitude of 4.5 or higher, and to watch a video on how to shut off the gas valve for your home or building (YouTube is a good place to start).
More disasters are caused by fires due to broken gas lines then almost anything else after a major earthquake.
City and community efforts matter, but so do the measures you can take in your own home. Most of us were here for the January 2025 wildfires, and some of us for the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Make “go bags,” or “survival stashes” for daily needs. FEMA suggests a minimum of these items: bedside—flashlight, shoes and eye glasses. In the car: walking shoes, water and food (like protein bars), jacket, sun hat, flashlight, cell phone charger and first aid kit (imagine if the 1994 quake had hit midday). For the home, add medications, cash, pet food, radio, important documents, a tool to turn off gas valve and a fire extinguisher. Check ready.lacounty.gov for more.
Geoff Randolph who grew up in South Pasadena, was an engineer and sales executive in Silicon Valley and a pioneer in remote work in 1999 (powering his HughesNet satellite modem and laptop with a car battery). He chose to spend many years in a way most survivalists fantasize about. “I have a different perspective, having lived in the wilderness for a while. I lived with my wife and kids in Trinity County in Northern California on 110 acres surrounded by national forest on all sides. There were about 200 people in a 15-mile radius, and we were the last house on a dirt road. We were one of the few who had electricity, which regularly went out—everyone else was off the grid. We lived off a gravity-fed spring and only kept the electricity for refrigeration and lighting. All heat was wood heat. I personally split by hand five or six cords of firewood every year for the five stoves we had,” said Randolph.
Currently, living in southern Oregon, Randolph is the go-to expert for many preppers around the country.
Randolph said, “There are practical things all people can do to prepare for any sort of disaster. Have a weekend where you turn off your electricity, and it’ll show you right off the bat everything you rely on is so dependent on that. This is one simple thing. If electricity went out for a week, what would you do? In a practical way, you can plan this ahead of time so that you don’t waste the food in your refrigerator. The first thing you’ll learn is how important light is. You need a flashlight and possibly a back-up source of power. Also very useful is a lead light to wear on the head like a headband. Electric lanterns are helpful.”
EXPERT SURVIVALIST GEOFF RANDOLPH with his wife, Robyn, advises practicing spending a weekend without electricity.
The best way to have a back-up source of power, according to Randolph, is a fold out solar cell with lithium ion batteries. “With something like that, at least one can run a fluorescent light bulb, cell phone, computer, even a coffee grinder,” said Randolph. Called a power pack or a portable power station, the module is the size of a shoebox. And on that weekend, don’t use the gas (stove/oven). Randolph said, “All of a sudden you realize a propane cooker might be a good idea.”
Randolph also said, “At one point you have to consider if it’s a longer term issue, or a shorter term issue. In both cases having water and a way to purify it is a priority.” He said, “The old-timers would create basic filters out of charcoal and ash, but there’s so many things now that you can buy to substitute. Use stored water, or you will need to keep with you an emergency filter, which there are all sorts of out there.”
Longer term—how to protect what you have and survive working with other people is a hard, but an important factor to consider. Randolph said, “People can see light from far away and they’re going to come to it if they don’t have power. Maybe you want to control how many people see it by having blackout windows. In the long-term, it’s important to have things you can barter like small bottles of alcohol. And don’t forget duct tape. Everyone needs duct tape!”
And just to really close this deep dive out… “If you live in L.A. you need iodine pills (such as potassium iodide and KI tablets) because L.A., is close enough to the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant and therefore prone for disaster,” said Randolph. You can ask your doctor how to take iodine pills safely to protect yourself. “My final words are, be right with God! And don’t be in a big city! Get out,” Randolph said with a chuckle.
For those of us who are here, we’ll help each other. And the best part about prepping? Once you do it, you can forget about it and sleep more soundly!
Find more information at www.ready.gov.
Category: News
