Nonprofit Helps Prepare Individual Residents and the Entire Community to Mitigate Risks and Recover
March 6, 2023: Calabasas, CA — Earthquakes in California are inevitable, but the damage they cause can be mitigated. And for Calabasas residents, a group of local citizens has banded together to help. After the destructive Woolsey Fire, they made it their mission to help the entire community before the next disaster strikes. The result is EPIC-FSC, a nonprofit determined to harden all 8,400 homes in Calabasas from earthquakes and fires, prioritizing and protecting human life, existing structures, and the unique habitat of the community.
“Experts tell us a quake as strong as magnitude 8.2 is possible on the southern San Andreas fault and would bring disaster to all of Southern California, including right here in Calabasas,” explains EPIC-FSC President Brian Cameron. “Earthquake safety starts with being prepared. Now is the time to organize disaster supplies and strengthen your house against earthquake damage.”
EPIC has patterned its guidance in conjunction with the experts at CalTech and FEMA to help provide Calabasas neighbors with a free property assessment inspection to harden their homes against natural disasters like earthquakes. Calabasas residents are encouraged to schedule a free home hardening assessment by visiting the EPIC-FSC website.
10 Tips to Strengthen Your Home for a Seismic Event
Many homeowners don’t know if their property could withstand shaking from a damaging earthquake. Modern homes, even though they may experience structural damage, are designed to remain standing. However, about 1.2 million homes built before 1980 are considered more vulnerable because they are not bolted to their foundations and lack bracing on the wood-framed walls. These homes need to be retrofitted to improve their seismic performance.
Whether or not you need your home retrofitted, here are 10 tips most earthquake professionals agree every resident should heed:
- Fit gas appliances with flexible connections and/or a breakaway gas shut-off device, or install a main gas shut-off device.
- Secure water heater(s) to walls.
- Anchor bookcases and filing cabinets to walls.
- Install latches on drawers and cabinet doors to keep contents from spilling out.
- Install ledge barriers on shelves, place heavy items on lower shelves, and secure large, heavy items and breakables directly to shelves.
- Attach computers and small appliances to desks, tables, or countertops.
- Secure ceiling lights, suspended ceilings, and other hanging items, such as chandeliers and plants to the permanent structure of your house.
- Apply safety film to windows and glass doors.
- Anchor large appliances to walls using safety cables or straps. Lock the rollers of any large appliances or pieces of furniture.
- If the structural elements of your home need reinforcing, some of the most important and common retrofits include adding anchor bolts or steel plates between your home and its foundation.
EPIC has also created a definitive plan to help residents reduce and manage risk in the event of a natural disaster through its Emergency Communication for Home Occupants (ECHO) program, which complements the City’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) Radio Team. Both are designed to offer basic disaster response skills before, during, and after earthquakes and fires. The organization will help residents purchase and use a radio to maintain communication during and after an incident.
EPIC-FSC is also in the process of creating an app specifically designed for Calabasas residents to successfully navigate communications — from the start of an emergency, during the event, and throughout the recovery phase.