Expert presentations to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (September 29) indicated that the overall readiness for a major earthquake response in the county is adequate, but a strong quake could still cause serious damage, urging residents to take immediate preventive actions.
According to reports from the city news agency, seismologist Lucy Jones and county government officials involved in disaster preparedness and response gave briefings that covered the preparedness levels of county staff and facilities, current shortcomings in disaster preparedness work, and plans to maintain services after a major earthquake. Kevin McGowan, Director of the County’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM), stated that the county government, in cooperation with the US Geological Survey (USGS), the California Seismic Safety Commission (CSSC), and experts like Jones, has positioned itself favorably through preparedness efforts.
Los Angeles County already has approved emergency response plans from the federal and state governments, with McGowan stating, “We’ve tested community systems and personnel mobilization plans (such as helicopter transport plans). Our emergency operations center and 24-hour monitoring center will monitor emergencies, coordinate department operations, and work with local and federal partners.”
However, he also acknowledged that, regardless of the county’s level of preparation, “a major earthquake will still test all these capabilities to a scale we’ve never experienced before.”
Los Angeles is a high seismic risk area, and Jones cautioned that post-earthquake fires could significantly increase the severity of disasters.
She noted that the number of buildings destroyed by post-quake fires could be “10 times” the total of damaged buildings from the Palisades and Eaton fires, indicating that disaster preparedness should not merely focus on earthquakes. Despite ongoing proactive disaster preparedness efforts in the Los Angeles area, she stressed that “there is always room for improvement.”
Jones also emphasized that the local disaster response and post-disaster recovery capabilities largely depend on community awareness and residents’ mutual assistance capabilities.
While Los Angeles is often seen as a place with distant neighborly relations, the January 2025 wildfire response action demonstrated that communities can remain strong and resilient in the face of disasters. Jones highlighted the importance of partnerships, stating, “The real solution is that we cannot rely solely on ourselves, or even just on the county government, but must find ways to become partners so that we can deal with disasters most effectively.”
McGowan pointed out the shortage of frontline emergency personnel in the county government, making it challenging to rapidly deploy comprehensive responses across the entire county. Therefore, residents need to “prepare at the household and community levels.”
He stressed that many may feel the threat of a major earthquake is “insurmountable” and thus “give up on preparing.” However, residents can take simple measures such as preparing earthquake emergency kits in cars or establishing evacuation and reunion plans with family members, emphasizing that “small, incremental investments like these can be helpful.”
The briefing stemmed from a motion proposed in August by Supervisor Barger, which noted that since the 6.7 magnitude Northridge earthquake in 1994, Los Angeles County has not experienced a large-scale destructive earthquake yet. According to media reports, the accumulated stress on the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults near the Cajon Pass has exceeded historical stress levels before significant earthquakes on these faults.
The motion stated, “These findings do not predict an imminent major earthquake. However, research finds that the stress levels accumulated in these fault systems are higher than at any time in recorded history, warranting significant attention. The county government is responsible for ensuring residents, infrastructure, and emergency response systems are prepared for large-scale disasters before they occur.”
Furthermore, the motion referenced a 2008 scenario simulation by the US Geological Survey, which studied the impact of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on the San Andreas Fault.
Supervisor Barger noted on Tuesday that the 3.6 magnitude earthquake in Hermosa Beach on September 27 was a good reminder for people to prepare.
She said, “We have also seen the catastrophic effects earthquakes can cause globally. Recently, following disasters in Venezuela and Colombia, our county agencies activated response mechanisms and sent urban search and rescue teams to these two countries. These actions help us understand potential post-earthquake situations and the extent of preparation needed.”
Barger’s motion also calls for county officials to develop a public earthquake emergency preparedness campaign, including establishing an online “Know Your Risk” portal and conducting multilingual educational activities in coordination with the “Great ShakeOut” event on October 15.
The motion calls for adopting “continuous, year-round public engagement strategies,” no longer limited to annual disaster preparedness events, and establishing earthquake preparedness as an ongoing public safety priority for Los Angeles County.
Barger also introduced another motion on Tuesday, to be approved by the Board of Supervisors on October 20, requiring three additional disaster preparedness measures:
– Requesting county officials to seek funding to expand, modernize, and maintain Community Emergency Response Team training.
– Requiring the Office of Emergency Management to develop an annual comprehensive earthquake exercise, separate from the “Great ShakeOut,” to test county government departments’ response capabilities, communication systems, resource management, and post-disaster recovery efforts.
– Requesting the Office of Emergency Management to report on opportunities for collaboration with academic institutions, state, and federal agencies to enhance Los Angeles County’s earthquake risk reduction efforts.
On Tuesday morning, a mobile earthquake simulator called the “Big Shaker” was set up in Grand Park next to the county government administrative building, allowing the public to experience the shaking that a major earthquake could bring.