Are you ready for the “Big One?”

By Linda

While waiting for yoga class to begin this morning, one of my classmates mentioned that she had received an e-mail purporting to predict a major earthquake for So Cal today. On facebook, another acquaintance remarked that she heard that an earthquake is predicted for tomorrow (Sunday) which would be inconvenient for runners in the L.A. Marathon, especially since it is supposed to rain as well. And tuning into Coast to Coast the other night, I caught part of an interview with a psychic who is predicting trouble for this weekend and next based on the moon and astrology. Even Fox News is getting on board, interviewing geologist Jim Berkland, who predicted the 1989 San Francisco quake, and who has a very compelling list of reasons why we may be in store for trouble here. FOX

Inspired by the tragedy unfolding in Japan, I went shopping for earthquake food the other day and my husband and I went out last night to purchase a number of 5 gallon bottles of water, along with some wooden boards to store them on in the garage. I’ve read in several places recently that plastic containers should not be stored on concrete because the chemicals in concrete leach into the plastic, contaminating the water and weakening the integrity of the bottle. This sounds alike a lot of hokum to me. After all, people store water in concrete containers. And I know back in the day, when we had water delivered to our home, the Arrowhead guy left the bottles on our cement front porch when we weren’t at home.

Nevertheless, we spent the extra five bucks for boards to keep our water toxin-free. We’re just hoping that the garage doesn’t collapse on top of them when the big one hits. If it does, we’ll be down at the pool scooping up water with whatever we can find I imagine. We used to have a storage shed on our patio for our earthquake provisions, but I got tired of looking at it and the food inside of it expired, so we moved our supplies inside and we’re keeping our fingers crossed we’ll be able to get to it.

I was surprised that we could not find empty five-gallon bottles to purchase locally. We thought we would fill the bottles ourselves. One would think with all the hoopla about being prepared, people would be out there buying larger containers for water. Keeping stacks and stacks of smaller bottles seems impractical to me. But when we found the filled water bottles at Home Depot, we decided that would save us some work and coughed up the $11.99 per bottle.

Experts recommend a minimum of 2 gallons of water per person per day for drinking, cooking and hygiene. I have some “old” bottled water which is stored on concrete, which we will use for flushing the toilet, providing we have access to a toilet. And we also have a 40-gallon water heater which can be tapped should the need arise.

So how prepared are you? How many days of food and water do you have stored? What sort of food do you have? Batteries? A radio? Do you have an out-of-state emergency contact programmed into your phone? An emergency kit in your car? Or will you be one of those people lined up in front of the nearest grocery store the morning after the next quake?

Comments (16)

Whiskey Tango FoxtrotMarch 19, 2011 at 7:26 pm

When I made my earthquake kit for the family and was deciding what to put in it, I went under the assumption (if it’s a devastating quake) that we will be on our own for a minimum 4 days before any meaningful help arrives. I let that be my guide in terms of having food, water, toiletries, shelter (tent, blankets), number of batteries etc. The little things to consider, like never letting your gas tank go below half, having a couple hundred dollars in small bills in you kit as ATM’s and gas pumps will go bye-bye after the big one. Having a flashlight in each room of your house is huge thing as the electricity will be the first to go. So many things to consider but whatever you do, don’t be one of those lambs in line at the store trying to grab as many bottles of Avian as you can for your family after the big one. Make ready. I am somewhat comforted that I took the time to prepare for this eventuality, but will be head shakingly dissapointed when I see those around me panic striken, trying to provide for their family.

spineflower2March 19, 2011 at 7:32 pm

Better count on a week or two. When the Big One hits, neighborhood jurisdictions, so helpful after Northridge, for example, will be up their necks in their own problems. Roads and airports will be closed much longer due to the more widespread damage. I used to hear two weeks, not a bad guess.

LindaMarch 19, 2011 at 8:31 pm

I agree that you need at least a week worth’s of supplies and two weeks is even better. Having watched the slow responses after Katrina and after the tsunami in Japan, it is clear we cannot rely on the government for speedy help.

CCMarch 19, 2011 at 7:48 pm

I invested in a pretty good kit last year which included a porta-potty. I keep lots of small bottles of water stored which I rotate on a regular basis. I don’t store food in the garage, but have a decent pantry if needed. Other things which proved very useful after Northridge, was cash. No ATMs available and if stores can sell stuff, it will be by cash. Not many people keep enough cash around the house and make sure the gas tank isn’t on E.

Lori RivasMarch 19, 2011 at 8:21 pm

Easy porta potty: 10 gallon plastic bucket with lid; box of strong trash bags; box or two of clumping kitty litter with deodorizer.

LindaMarch 19, 2011 at 8:34 pm

Yes, the kitty litter is very helpful!

IHeartSCVMarch 20, 2011 at 8:51 am

I heard that same Coast to Coast; if memory serves, they also had a guest who said the Biblical tribulation begins on May 21 of this year, so emergenecy supplies will be handy whether it’s an earthquake or the end of the world (or something in between). Apart from a radio for listening to C2C and the usual emergency stuff, I have extra pet food (which becomes people food, in a pinch, so only the best) and work gloves since they proved handy during the last earthquake for cleaning up all the broken glass and debris. I also like headlamps.

NoreasterMarch 20, 2011 at 1:50 pm

Good column, Linda. I’m wondering what suggestions others have for communications since my past experience was that cell phones were not as reliable as a land line. We’ve kept cell phones plus our land line, though AT&T is a ripoff. Also, recently read that it’s NOT a good idea to stand beneath a door frame during a quake.

ToddMarch 20, 2011 at 10:19 pm

SOS Survival in Van Nuys can hook you up for your water storage needs, as well as all of your supplies. I echo the two weeks worth of supplies, but I’m personally outfitted for a month. The important thing to do is to keep your water supply kept fresh. With the large storage solutions, you can add some bleach to kill off bacteria, but you still need to cycle through the water at least once a year. We keep a supply of the cheap Costco water on hand… about 15 cases (at a whopping $4/case, you can tell we’re really shelling out!). We just pull the oldest one inside the house to keep on hand for acutal drinking, about one a week. As for food, well, we keep a good supply of canned stuff on-hand. Again, we just rotate through a stockpile of things like instant oatmeal, tomato sauce, dried pasta, mac and cheese, etc. You can get some of that freeze dried stuff if you’re so inclined… but we cycle through the stuff that has a long enough shelf life enough that we can keep that around. Other things to think about are sleeping bags, warm and cool clothing. Sunscreen, hats, etc. Also, flashlights, AM radio (hand crank so as not to waste batteries… they’re cheap enough. If you’ve got a propane BBQ, you might consider having an extra tank around too. Honestly, anyone who goes camping often should be well prepared. The real issue is having your stuff stored in an appropriate manner to survive an earthquake. What good does it do if its underneath your collapsed house?

ReaderMamaMarch 20, 2011 at 11:12 pm

If you have a yard with a place for a shed, then storage of your earthquake stuff isn’t a problem. But those of us living in condos and townhomes don’t necessarily want to use up our limited outdoor space for storage, even if the HOA will allow it. And when you need room for 50 gallons of water, sleeping bags, tents and porta-potties, you are talking about significant space.

ToddMarch 21, 2011 at 7:36 am

Indeed. An offsite storage shed (if its one story) is an alternate (although, they’re often of shoddy construction, anyway). My garage is in a separate physical structure from my residence, but they’re both two story buildings, so we’re rolling the dice. We do have a small patio, so we have a couple of Rubbermaid Patio Boxes, which do a fairly good job of keeping the elements out. Regardless, making space will be important for those things when you need it. Make sure you can get to the stuff that you’ll need immediately. First Aid, Water, and Clothes. Shelter and Food are lower on the priority list, with tools and “creature comforts” being at the bottom.

FrankMarch 21, 2011 at 4:43 am

The one common fact about the 1906 San Francisco, 1971 Sylmar and 1994 Northridge quakes is that miraculously they occured at early morning hours, saving thousands of lives. The 1933 Long Beach quake happened during the dinner hour while people were settling in for the evening at home. March 10, 2011 Japan earthquake happened at 2:46 PM local time and thousands of lives were lost. Santa Clarita is a 50% plus commuter city which means residents will have to be prepared to survive those five days to two weeks in the San Fernando Valley or worst yet Los Angeles, seperated from family members. Santa Clarita is way out front of many communities by offering the CERT Community Emergency Response Training to residents, it is well worth the seven weeks.

ToddMarch 21, 2011 at 7:39 am

I’m CERT trained, and its a good thing to have. As Linda pointed out, so many of us live in condos/townhomes… especially up here. Search & Recovery is going to be something that we’re all going to need to do, and the more more of us that are trained on that, the less burden we’ll need to place on our limited resources here in the Valley.

NateMarch 21, 2011 at 4:06 pm

Really? Drama Mama, Jim Berkland and Fox news thinks people can actually predict earthquakes, coincidentally all three hate real science. People should be prepared / preparing because it is the diligent thing to do not because drama mama and a couple Fox news cranks try to make a non-scienctific rumor/guess scare people into panicked frenzy. http://1.usa.gov/dG9xnZ See real scientists say this– “After much discussion, CEPEC advised CalEMA there was a greater-than-normal chance of a large earthquake as long as the swarm continued, but not to be overly alarmed.” Oh yeah and they said that back in 2009. Jim Berkland makes earthquake predictions every year and he is wrong nearly ever time. So can someone please put a stop to the insanity and take the keys away from this drunk lady. She is like a female Glenn Beck. Next she will be trying to sell us “Food Insurance” and Gold Coins! GET GOLD PEOPLE! THE END IS NIGH!

LindaMarch 21, 2011 at 5:29 pm

Nate, you out-drama everyone here by a factor of ten. Reporting that there seems to be heightened fear out there is not the same as “hating science,” endorsing psychics, or trying to scare anyone. This was a pretty straight-forward discussion of preparedness. Leave it to you to turn it into a personal vendetta.

NateMarch 22, 2011 at 10:56 am

Personal Vendetta? Whatever I just think you suck. See I get what Jeff was thinking when he let you start babbling on the front page of his website talking about hoax emails, psychics and cracked out scientists and any other hobby horse interest you have. What’s up next organic cat food and yoga with a side of smug?

Whiskey Tango FoxtrotMarch 19, 2011 at 7:26 pm
When I made my earthquake kit for the family and was deciding what to put in it, I went under the assumption (if it’s a devastating quake) that we will be on our own for a minimum 4 days before any meaningful help arrives. I let that be my guide in terms of having food, water, toiletries, shelter (tent, blankets), number of batteries etc. The little things to consider, like never letting your gas tank go below half, having a couple hundred dollars in small bills in you kit as ATM’s and gas pumps will go bye-bye after the big one. Having a flashlight in each room of your house is huge thing as the electricity will be the first to go. So many things to consider but whatever you do, don’t be one of those lambs in line at the store trying to grab as many bottles of Avian as you can for your family after the big one. Make ready. I am somewhat comforted that I took the time to prepare for this eventuality, but will be head shakingly dissapointed when I see those around me panic striken, trying to provide for their family.
spineflower2March 19, 2011 at 7:32 pm
Better count on a week or two. When the Big One hits, neighborhood jurisdictions, so helpful after Northridge, for example, will be up their necks in their own problems. Roads and airports will be closed much longer due to the more widespread damage. I used to hear two weeks, not a bad guess.
LindaMarch 19, 2011 at 8:31 pm
I agree that you need at least a week worth’s of supplies and two weeks is even better. Having watched the slow responses after Katrina and after the tsunami in Japan, it is clear we cannot rely on the government for speedy help.
CCMarch 19, 2011 at 7:48 pm
I invested in a pretty good kit last year which included a porta-potty. I keep lots of small bottles of water stored which I rotate on a regular basis. I don’t store food in the garage, but have a decent pantry if needed. Other things which proved very useful after Northridge, was cash. No ATMs available and if stores can sell stuff, it will be by cash. Not many people keep enough cash around the house and make sure the gas tank isn’t on E.
Lori RivasMarch 19, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Easy porta potty: 10 gallon plastic bucket with lid; box of strong trash bags; box or two of clumping kitty litter with deodorizer.
LindaMarch 19, 2011 at 8:34 pm
Yes, the kitty litter is very helpful!
IHeartSCVMarch 20, 2011 at 8:51 am
I heard that same Coast to Coast; if memory serves, they also had a guest who said the Biblical tribulation begins on May 21 of this year, so emergenecy supplies will be handy whether it’s an earthquake or the end of the world (or something in between). Apart from a radio for listening to C2C and the usual emergency stuff, I have extra pet food (which becomes people food, in a pinch, so only the best) and work gloves since they proved handy during the last earthquake for cleaning up all the broken glass and debris. I also like headlamps.
NoreasterMarch 20, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Good column, Linda. I’m wondering what suggestions others have for communications since my past experience was that cell phones were not as reliable as a land line. We’ve kept cell phones plus our land line, though AT&T is a ripoff. Also, recently read that it’s NOT a good idea to stand beneath a door frame during a quake.
ToddMarch 20, 2011 at 10:19 pm
SOS Survival in Van Nuys can hook you up for your water storage needs, as well as all of your supplies. I echo the two weeks worth of supplies, but I’m personally outfitted for a month. The important thing to do is to keep your water supply kept fresh. With the large storage solutions, you can add some bleach to kill off bacteria, but you still need to cycle through the water at least once a year. We keep a supply of the cheap Costco water on hand… about 15 cases (at a whopping $4/case, you can tell we’re really shelling out!). We just pull the oldest one inside the house to keep on hand for acutal drinking, about one a week. As for food, well, we keep a good supply of canned stuff on-hand. Again, we just rotate through a stockpile of things like instant oatmeal, tomato sauce, dried pasta, mac and cheese, etc. You can get some of that freeze dried stuff if you’re so inclined… but we cycle through the stuff that has a long enough shelf life enough that we can keep that around. Other things to think about are sleeping bags, warm and cool clothing. Sunscreen, hats, etc. Also, flashlights, AM radio (hand crank so as not to waste batteries… they’re cheap enough. If you’ve got a propane BBQ, you might consider having an extra tank around too. Honestly, anyone who goes camping often should be well prepared. The real issue is having your stuff stored in an appropriate manner to survive an earthquake. What good does it do if its underneath your collapsed house?
ReaderMamaMarch 20, 2011 at 11:12 pm
If you have a yard with a place for a shed, then storage of your earthquake stuff isn’t a problem. But those of us living in condos and townhomes don’t necessarily want to use up our limited outdoor space for storage, even if the HOA will allow it. And when you need room for 50 gallons of water, sleeping bags, tents and porta-potties, you are talking about significant space.
ToddMarch 21, 2011 at 7:36 am
Indeed. An offsite storage shed (if its one story) is an alternate (although, they’re often of shoddy construction, anyway). My garage is in a separate physical structure from my residence, but they’re both two story buildings, so we’re rolling the dice. We do have a small patio, so we have a couple of Rubbermaid Patio Boxes, which do a fairly good job of keeping the elements out. Regardless, making space will be important for those things when you need it. Make sure you can get to the stuff that you’ll need immediately. First Aid, Water, and Clothes. Shelter and Food are lower on the priority list, with tools and “creature comforts” being at the bottom.
FrankMarch 21, 2011 at 4:43 am
The one common fact about the 1906 San Francisco, 1971 Sylmar and 1994 Northridge quakes is that miraculously they occured at early morning hours, saving thousands of lives. The 1933 Long Beach quake happened during the dinner hour while people were settling in for the evening at home. March 10, 2011 Japan earthquake happened at 2:46 PM local time and thousands of lives were lost. Santa Clarita is a 50% plus commuter city which means residents will have to be prepared to survive those five days to two weeks in the San Fernando Valley or worst yet Los Angeles, seperated from family members. Santa Clarita is way out front of many communities by offering the CERT Community Emergency Response Training to residents, it is well worth the seven weeks.
ToddMarch 21, 2011 at 7:39 am
I’m CERT trained, and its a good thing to have. As Linda pointed out, so many of us live in condos/townhomes… especially up here. Search & Recovery is going to be something that we’re all going to need to do, and the more more of us that are trained on that, the less burden we’ll need to place on our limited resources here in the Valley.
NateMarch 21, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Really? Drama Mama, Jim Berkland and Fox news thinks people can actually predict earthquakes, coincidentally all three hate real science. People should be prepared / preparing because it is the diligent thing to do not because drama mama and a couple Fox news cranks try to make a non-scienctific rumor/guess scare people into panicked frenzy. http://1.usa.gov/dG9xnZ See real scientists say this– “After much discussion, CEPEC advised CalEMA there was a greater-than-normal chance of a large earthquake as long as the swarm continued, but not to be overly alarmed.” Oh yeah and they said that back in 2009. Jim Berkland makes earthquake predictions every year and he is wrong nearly ever time. So can someone please put a stop to the insanity and take the keys away from this drunk lady. She is like a female Glenn Beck. Next she will be trying to sell us “Food Insurance” and Gold Coins! GET GOLD PEOPLE! THE END IS NIGH!
LindaMarch 21, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Nate, you out-drama everyone here by a factor of ten. Reporting that there seems to be heightened fear out there is not the same as “hating science,” endorsing psychics, or trying to scare anyone. This was a pretty straight-forward discussion of preparedness. Leave it to you to turn it into a personal vendetta.
NateMarch 22, 2011 at 10:56 am
Personal Vendetta? Whatever I just think you suck. See I get what Jeff was thinking when he let you start babbling on the front page of his website talking about hoax emails, psychics and cracked out scientists and any other hobby horse interest you have. What’s up next organic cat food and yoga with a side of smug?