The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services is persistently striving to prepare for the various disasters that could affect San Diego County, including the peninsula.
As a coastal area, natural land-based hazards, such as wildfires, tornadoes and earthquakes, are not the only factors to consider. Flooding, coastal storms, landslides and tsunamis are all additional risk factors that must be considered under safety plans and regulations.
But how does San Diego prepare for the unexpected?
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the county will host an Earthquake Safety Workshop for the Ocean Beach and Point Loma communities, which will be lead by certified Red Cross safety instructors. The workshop will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the OB Masonic Center, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.
“The purpose of this program is to educate and motivate citizens of San Diego County to adopt earthquake preparedness plans and implement earthquake mitigation materials in their home,” said Stephen Rea, certified Red Cross instructor and OES representative.
Technological hazards and terrorism are both manmade events about which the city is attempting to educate the public.
“The most important things families can do are to be aware of the disaster risks in the region and prepare [themselves] now, before a disaster strikes,” Rea said.
She added that the workshop will focus on three areas: the disaster risks in San Diego County and how to assist in reducing the impact of those disasters; how to create and practice a family disaster plan; and what should be included in an emergency supplies kit.
Workshop attendees will receive the Earthquake Mitigation Kit, which includes “Quakehold Gel” for securing glass and crystal, “Museum Wax,” furniture and television straps to help prevent large objects from falling in an earthquake and many more items.
While the Earthquake Safety Workshop program is not directly related to the recently released county disaster plan, Red Cross instructors will include information from the Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide. For more information on earthquake safety, visit the San Diego/Imperial counties chapter of the American Red Cross at www.sdarc.org or the County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services at www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes. The Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide is also available for download from the OES Web site.