From the Editor

Weathering the Big One

    Disaster preparedness experts believe chances are great that the Bay Area will experience an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater by 2030. That’s a big earthquake, especially for this editor whose only memorable brush with a tremor in five-plus years of Bay Area living was a little rattler of 5.4.
    Earthquakes freak me out, but even so, it wasn’t until working on the disaster preparedness issue that I decided to do something to be ready for the big one—and any other catastrophe that might be headed my way—by putting together a home earthquake kit. Until now, disaster preparation around my household literally meant gallons and gallons of fresh water stashed safely away. That was our plan, water, period.
    So I vowed to procrastinate no longer and followed the advice of Jeff Swenerton, the author of our special section, “Be Prepared: Plan Before Disaster Strikes,” a guide to readiness and survival. From interviews with many East Bay and Alameda disaster prep experts on proper contingency plans, Swenerton came away with this basic mantra: Get Prepared, Make a Plan and Build a Kit.
    So my husband and I gathered together the gear we felt necessary for our immediate survival, discussed what to do in the event of a major Bay Area disaster and put those tools in a safe location.
    Turns out it’s not so hard to do. Most of the recommended items—sleeping bags, a portable stove, first-aid kit, headlamp, duct tape, work gloves, dust masks, wrenches, crowbars, hammers and pliers—were readily at hand. Gathering easy-to-prepare, long-lasting foodstuffs and planning for the pets required more effort, as does collecting those pesky insurance and other important paper documents. I’ve got a few things left to do—photographing valuables, storing those valuables in a fireproof safe, actually turning off the water, gas and electricity—but I’m way more calm since taking these few precautionary steps.
    What’s your excuse for not putting your kit together? With Alameda Magazine’s handy guide to disaster preparedness, you ought to be able to take care of yourself for a few days until things get back to relative order when a major disaster strikes. Use these articles to plan ahead. What you do now can save your life.






Judith M. Gallman
judy@alamedamagazine.com