Campaign Urges Earthquake Preparedness In Quake-prone Southern California
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Clear Channel Outdoor Americas have launched a new campaign to provide Southern Californians with critical earthquake preparedness information.
Infographic of Messages
The campaign, which began yesterday, Apr. 11/16, will run throughout earthquake preparedness month (April) and will educate residents by displaying quake safety messages on digital billboards donated by CCOA. Digital billboards are regularly used to relay critical public safety information during emergencies, including AMBER alerts, FBI Most Wanted notices, and messaging from local police and fire departments.
Kate Scharer, USGS research geologist, says, “We’re urging Californians to ask themselves an important question this April: ‘If an earthquake strikes today, would I be prepared?” We’ve teamed up with Clear Channel Outdoor to not only focus on earthquake preparedness; but also how science informs preparedness and resilience for residents across the Southland. By placing these messages on digital billboards region-wide, we can increase the number of Californians who will be able to answer ‘”Yes” when asked if they’re prepared for a quake.”
Southern California has the highest earthquake risk of any region in the US. Not only is the area bisected by the San Andreas Fault, which is capable of producing very large quakes, but it is also crisscrossed by many other faults capable of producing large and damaging tremors.
“We live in a high-risk region, yet we often forget that the next big earthquake could be right around the corner,” says Mitchell Englander, Los Angeles City Councilmember. “During this year’s Earthquake Preparedness Month, we are urging residents to take action and prepare by planning ahead and arming themselves with knowledge. I want to thank the USGS and Clear Channel Outdoor for bringing this important message to Angelenos and encouraging our communities to take proactive steps to protect themselves.” Englander is Chair of the Public Safety Committee and represents Northridge, the epicenter of the 1994 earthquake.
The USGS and CCOA-led campaign will also encourage Southern Californians to engage in preparedness proactively to better safeguard themselves and their loved ones for the possibility of tremors in quake-prone Southern California.
“Clear Channel Outdoor Americas is proud to again join the USGS in urging the Southland community to prepare for tremors by prioritizing early preparedness and education,” says Layne Lawson, CCOA director of public affairs. “Placing these messages on our digital billboards throughout Southern California will help guarantee more residents see the messages and are prepared in an emergency earthquake situation.”
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