The District Weekly - Latest Comments in WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

John_Greet — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:19:27 -0000

Although over a year “cold” now, Author Brescini’s comments and concerns on this topic ring equally valid today. Each time we, in Long Beach, feel a relatively minor shaking that *doesn’t* get worse before it gets better, we, collectively, dodge a *very* big bullet.

One day, however, that will change. One day the portion of the Newport-Inglewood fault that bisects Long Beach, and that has been steadily building up geo-physical pressure beneath us since 1933, will finally slip once again and when it does, Cal Tech’s Southern California Earthquake Data Center estimates a "probable" magnitude of between 6.0 and 7.4. Not "possible", not "debatable", not "questionable"...but "probable".

An earthquake in that range directly under Long Beach will quite literally overwhelm local and area governmental resources. Until County or State or Federal assets can arrive to help us we will quite literally be on our own.

What will you do? Just as many do with most other things, some plan to rely entirely upon City Government and the Red Cross to provide for all of their emergency needs during a disaster.

City government and various private and charitable organizations like the Red Cross and all of our area hospitals are doing much to prepare, and at considerable expense. But after an earthquake of that size directly under Long Beach, all such assistance will be finite and quickly overwhelmed.

Hard choices will likely have to be made at the highest levels of local government concerning which decimated neighborhoods should receive the strained and limited resources that are available...and which should simply be written off and left to fend for themselves.

You need to be able to provide for the food, water, shelter, safety and non-specialized medical needs of yourself, your family and your pets for a minimum of one week...three would be better...because you might well find yourself in the middle of a neighborhood to which no help is coming.

Proper preparations can obviate the need for you to stand in lines waiting for food and drinkable water that might not even be deliverable for *several* days...they can help you avoid hiking over rubble to an emergency shelter only to find that there is no room for you there...they can teach you how to set broken bones or close open wounds or revive a family member whose heart and or breathing has stopped, when hospitals have collapsed and government provided emergency medical capabilities are overwhelmed and either cannot reach you, cannot reach you in time or aren't coming at all.

I strongly encourage *everyone* to visit www.redcross.org and learn more about preparing your family and your home to better survive a disaster. Just a little preparation now can better assure your survival, and that of your family, tomorrow. Doing so will allow you to care for yourself and your family, so that limited government resources can be better applied elsehwere.

Do it for you, do it for your family, do it for your neighbors, but do it!

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

Laurence B. Goodhue — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:21:21 -0000

FYI:Interesting historical bit:

Some of the remanent brick from the 1933 quake from Freemont and Wilson can be
seen today. They are inlaid in a planter just inside the northern entrance of the Marine
Stadium via Appian and Nieto.The planter sits between the waters edge and the small
grassy park where the summer the band concerts are help.The planter will become
the mounting surface for the City of Long Beach Historical Land Mark Plaque as soon
as the security fencing(removed over the objections of LBPD and without any public
notice,which of course has ushered in nocturnal crime) is replaced.

Similar bricking surrounds the Marine Stadium California State Land Mark Plaque just
north of the Pete Archer Rowing Center on Boathouse.

Posted:May 18,2009.

Following the 1933 Pete Archer, Manager of the Marine Stadium,had his CCC crew
retrieve the brinks and make a apron of brick in front of the Olympic boathouse so his
crews would not have to walk through dirt and mud the get to the water.

In preparation for the 1968 Olympic Rowing Trials the City,using Tidelands funds;
built a new boathouse for the California State University Crew at the same time-
located where the new Pete Archer Rowing Center sits which has been the epi center of
rowing in Long Beach since 1968.(Google Long Beach Rowing for more on each of the
four different components of the rowing community-open to all)

At that time the City asphalted over the brick apron in front of the Olympic Boathouse.
(front FYI being the water side)

In 1995,as part of an Eagle Scout Project;Joseph Scott(Joey Scott member of Long Beach Junior Crew)with the help of crew and troop members and the City unearthed
the bricks that had been sealed under the asphalt since 1933.When the asphalt was
peeled off the bricks were found to be in"mint" condition(mint for 1933".

The crews,one by one,lifted out the bricks,scrubbed them off,and,with the able
assistance of a local bricklayer laid the bricks at both landmark locations.1995 new
Bull Nose brick line the outer edge of the planter which makes it more comfortable
for people to sit on.

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

(Ouch) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:00:39 -0000

Thanks for the advice, very helpful and information to back it up! Keep up the good work!

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

Megan Brescini — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:47:57 -0000

Thanks Jenny!

Chris, Is there really such a drink? An earthquake cocktail that's served shaken, not stirred? Oh joy!

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

Chris Ziegler — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:54:10 -0000

i'm gonna have reid at prospector make me an earthquake cocktail so i too can get drunk on disaster!

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

LB Skeptic — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:31:46 -0000

Did you also write the script for that mega box office hit Volcano?

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

Jenny Stockdale — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:38:54 -0000

Megan, great story. Sometimes a reminder is all you need to be self-reliant.

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

LBfamily — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:11:23 -0000

Most of the LBC needs a face-lift anyway.

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

otay90 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:41:39 -0000

Likely or not, it's a good idea to prepare for it.

Stock up on water, Pabst, and a Honda generator.

Re: WHEN IT COMES | The District Weekly

835 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:53:14 -0000

Sue Hough, a USGS siesmologist at CalTech, recently estimated the chance of a major rupture along Newport Inglewood (akin to '33) is "about 50 times less likely" than along the San Andreas in the next few decades