It was this week 24 years ago that residents of Los Angeles awoke to one of the most severe earthquakes to ever strike our region. The Northridge Earthquake resulted in 57 lives lost, over 8700 injuries, tens of billions of dollars in damage, and reminded us all of the precarious geography of our city.
It was in the wake of this destruction and terrible loss that Los Angeles came together like never before. We rebuilt, strengthened our building codes, instituted mandatory retrofits, and developed partnerships with the scientific community to keep residents safe in the event of the next earthquake. However, no matter how much we do collectively to prepare, recent events have shown that there is no substitute for individual preparation when it comes to protecting your home and family during natural disasters.
It is incumbent upon each of us to prepare a disaster kit, listen to emergency notifications, and have a plan in the event of an evacuation. 24 years later, the lesson remains the same: disaster preparedness is an endeavor in which we all must take part.
Visit readyla.org to learn more about how you can prepare your home and family.
– From Councilmember Mitchell Englander’s weekly newsletter