What to Expect When Disaster Strikes

On November 13, 2008, Southern California disaster response agencies conducted the Great Southern California Shakeout. These agencies teamed up to determine what would happen if an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude were to hit Southern California. Emergency response officials were dismayed when the results came in from supercomputers tasked with analyzing the effects of an earthquake of this magnitude. They learned that:

• An estimated 1,600 fires would break out from electrical shorts and broken natural gas lines.
• Fire engines would have limited access to fires due to damaged roads.
• Electrical service would be restored to 90% of customers after 10 days. During this period there would be:

• No telephone, cell phone or Internet availability.
• Electric stoves, refrigerators and ovens would not be operable.
• The only light source would be from candles, lamps and battery-operated devices.

• Motorists would have to wait one to two weeks to use arterial roads in the cities and seven months to use damaged highways. This would result in:

• Inability to evacuate the areas affected by the disaster.
• Limited availability of food items.
• Slowed response from police and fire services.

Major Quake Almost
Inevitable for California

From an article published in 2008 by the Reuters news agency:

"California will almost inevitably be struck by a major earthquake, and possibly a catastrophic quake, sometime in the next 30 years, scientists said on Monday in the most comprehensive geologic forecast for the state.

"California faces a more than 99 percent chance of being hit by a magnitude 6.7 temblor – the size of the 1994 Northridge quake – in the next 30 years, according to a study using new data and analyzing earthquake probabilities across the state.

"The analysis found a nearly 50 percent chance that California would be rocked by a magnitude 7.5 quake, which is capable of inflicting catastrophic damage if it is centered under a big city like Los Angeles or San Francisco.

"We can expect that we’re going to get hammered by a big earthquake and we'd better be prepared,” said Tom Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California.

Redi Fredi to the Rescue

Given the likelihood of a major quake in the near future, it makes good sense to prepare for 7-10 days of survival without the life support that you have come to rely on. So, Redi Fredi has created services and products to meet the needs of individuals and families who might experience the life-threatening challenges of a major disaster.