Ask and you shall receive...just in

4/24/2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE #CM: 042414

Subject :	City of Long Beach Selected as Beta Site to Help Test Earthquake Early Warning System (EEWS)
Contact :	Reginald Harrison, Deputy City Manager    562.570.9250     Reginald.Harrison@longbeach.gov

The City of Long Beach has been selected by the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to serve as a beta site for California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) Earthquake Early Warning System (EEWS).  The EEWS uses existing seismic networks to detect moderate to large earthquakes very rapidly so that a warning can be sent before destructive seismic waves arrive to locations outside the epicenter. Once fully developed, these warnings could allow people time to take some protective action and could also trigger automatic responses to safeguard critical infrastructure. "We are always looking for ways to better prepare for a disaster, and even a few seconds of warning before the force of an earthquake reaches us can save lives and protect property," Mayor Bob Foster said. What this could mean for City operations, residents and businesses in Long Beach in the future, is that certain preventative actions might be able to occur with a few second of warning, such as: Allow people to drop, cover and hold-on and grant businesses time to shut down and move workers to safe locations;  Give medical professionals time to stop delicate procedures;  Protect travelers by providing time for trains to slow or stop, for elevator doors to open, for bridge traffic to clear, for slowing or stopping traffic, and even stopping landings and take-offs at airports; and  Enable emergency responders to prepare by opening fire station doors and starting generators. “The earthquake early warning system provides the City with another tool, in addition to CERT classes to prepare residents and all-hazards training to prepare staff, in the event of a disaster or major emergency,” said Deputy City Manager Reginald Harrison.  “Once fully developed, this technology could literally save lives.” As a beta site, certain City of Long Beach departments will test the system and provide feedback, so that the developers can further refine their algorithms and software to ensure that the system integrates with real work delivery mechanisms, procedures and product benefits. This testing will be conducted at no cost to the City. USGS currently issues rapid, automatic earthquake information, which is available to the general public via the Internet, email, text messages, and social media.  You can sign up for these messages on their website at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes.  More information on the EEWS can be found at the CISN website at http://www.cisn.org/eew/. As the City continues to enhance its emergency response training, residents are strongly advised to prepare to be self-sufficient for at least five days in the event of a large-scale incident.  Create an emergency plan for your home and family, put together an emergency supply kit (food, water, tools, etc,) and make sure all of your family members know how to contact one another.  Further, all residents are encouraged to sign up for Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.  The Long Beach Fire Department conducts this free program to train the public how to become self-sufficient during major disasters. More information is available at http://bit.ly/BePreparedLongBeach and www.longbeach.gov/fire/cert.

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Mexico has invested in an early warning system -- so should California

Mexico here we come... (Photo credit: Mexicanwave)

See the link below and watch the video which shows that Mexico had an early warning alert system for earthquakes. California needs one as well.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-mexico-city-gets-early-quake-20140418,0,7987331.story#axzz2zNaNybTq

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Putting Politics Aside -- We Need to Ask Is Long Beach Ready?

LONG BEACH RESIDENTS:

Since coming to City Council in 2006, I have spent considerable time on the issue of getting residents ready to survive a major earthquake or tsunami. My staff and I have gone through CERT -- Community Emergency Response Team training.( http://longbeach.gov/fire/cert/) I have held numerous community workshops with disaster preparedness experts to bring people together to get ready. http://www.presstelegram.com/technology/20121009/long-beach-councilwoman-gerrie-schipske-to-host-emergency-preparedness-rountable 

The recent (and continuing) swarm of earthquakeshttp://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0339-socal-quake-20140329,0,2648814.story  and the workshop held last week at the Aquarium http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20140322/long-beach-aquarium-of-the-pacific-to-host-tsunami-preparedness-event  about preparing Long Beach for a tsunami, should make all of us stop and think -- is Long Beach ready? Do our residents know where to go in case of a major disaster? Do we know what streets to avoid if evacuating? Do we have tsunami warning signs posted? Do our public facilities have back up power and supplies, including drinkable water?

It is important that right now the current Mayor and the City Council move as quickly as possible to pull together resources and make sure every neighborhood in our City is prepared.

We all know that there is an election coming, but earthquakes and disasters have their own timetable as you will see in the video below prepared by the Great California Shakeout -- an effort to get California ready for an earthquake.

Please contact Mayor Foster and your member of the City Council and ask if Long Beach is ready and how can we get ready as a City.

Preparedness Now, The Great California Shakeout

 I am including a link for you to check the specific natural disaster hazard in your neighborhood: http://myhazards.calema.ca.gov/  

Please also check http://www.readyla.org/ and find out what you need to do to prepare. 

Together, we can do this!

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Worst Case Scenario in Long Beach

Our neighbour's front yard fountain = result of La Habra 2014 earthquake. #NewBellehurst @BuenaParkCA @LaHabraCA #earthquake #5.1 #terremoto #temblor #magnitude #2014 (Photo credit: dj venus)

Take a moment and view this video which lays out what is expected when the "big one" (major earthquake in Southern California) comes to our area. The recent swarm of earthquakes in our area should be a wake up call.

Be prepared. Be ready. Check out www.readyla.org for tips.

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You Should Be Concerned --Swarm of Recent Earthquakes

This movie brings home the issue of the need to be prepared. Once the shaking is over, we need to be able to get on with our lives. Be prepared. Be ready. Get your earthquake kit put together.

Quake in LA Should Make Us Think About Getting Ready

The Great Los Angeles Earthquake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 4.4 earthquake that hit Los Angeles yesterday should be a reminder that the big one is coming and it is important for Long Beach residents to get ready to survive.

Experts estimate that a 7.0 or large magnitude earthquake would bring widespread devastation in Southern California.

As you know, I have sponsored several community workshops on how to get ready. You need to get your home equipped with supplies and water that will last at least seven days.

Check out www.ready.gov to find out what what you need to get together to get prepared.

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An important message from Councilwoman Schipske and firefighters

This weekend when you move your clocks forward for daylight savings time...don't forget to 

check your smoke detectors.

The International Association of Fire Fighters is urging people to change more than just the batteries in their smoke detectors when Daylight Savings Time begins March 10. They should also upgrade their smoke detectors to make sure their homes are equipped with photoelectric smoke detectors, IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger said.

According to IAFF: "Research has demonstrated that photoelectric smoke detectors are more effective at warning people of smoke from smoldering fires than ionization smoke detectors. With earlier warning, people have more time to escape a burning structure and enable a quicker call to 911. Photoelectric smoke detectors are less susceptible to nuisance alarms. To prevent nuisance alarms, citizens often disable smoke detectors and place themselves, other residents in a home or building and fire fighters at greater risk.

Smoke Detector (Photo credit: http://www.homespothq.com)

Photoelectric smoke detectors contain a light source and a light-sensitive electric cell. Smoke entering the detector deflects light onto the light-sensitive electric cell, triggering the alarm. These detectors are more sensitive to large particles given off during smoldering fires - the kind of fires that occur at night when people are asleep.

Ionization smoke detectors have a small amount of radioactive material and establish a small electric current between two metal plates, which sound an alarm when disrupted by smoke entering the chamber. But the technology leads to a delayed warning. That can lead to greater loss of life among people in a burning structure and fire fighters, who are faced with a more developed fire. A delayed warning during a smoldering fire, especially at night, can incapacitate people who are sleeping and lead to death as fire spreads. No home should be without a smoke detector, and ionization detectors should continue to be used until a home can be equipped with photoelectric detectors."

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