Supervisor Carmen Chu: Earthquake Preparedness

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake. As San Franciscans, we are always aware of seismic activity, but the anniversary of the 1989 earthquake provides an opportunity to reinvigorate our commitment to being prepared for any type of hazard.

To commemorate the anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, the city of San Francisco is coordinating The Big Rumble, a series of special events designed to connect our communities with preparedness resources. From Oct. 13 - 17, these events will take place at various venues throughout the City. On Oct. 17, the actual anniversary of the earthquake, the Sunset District will host one of San Francisco's four Big Rumble preparedness fairs.

Our Big Rumble event will be on 20th Avenue, between Lincoln Way and Irving Street, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be entertainment from local musicians, vendors and disaster preparedness information from the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT), Red Cross, San Francisco's fire and police departments and other city agencies.

I encourage you to attend the event to find out how you can best prepare yourself, your family and your community for any disaster. We may not be able to predict or prevent earthquakes, but we can minimize the damage by taking simple steps, like making sure smoke detectors are fully operational, strapping down the water heater, making sure hallways and exits are clear for easy evacuation, knowing how to shut off your gas, and having a three-day food supply for each member of the family.

For a wealth of information and ideas on disaster preparedness, be sure to visit the Web site at www.72hours.org.

In the Sunset District, an earthquake presents additional challenges. Many of our buildings are "soft story construction," meaning a second floor of living space is built over a garage, and are particularly vulnerable during an earthquake. A good resource for making your home as safe as possible is the US Geological Survey's "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country," available at the Web site http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/15.

Again, I hope to see you Oct. 17 at the Big Rumble in the Sunset. Together, we can learn from the experts how to prepare for any emergency. For more information, go to the Web site at www.bigrumble.org.

Halloween Costume Drive
Our office is hosting its second annual District 4 Halloween costume drive. Donate costumes, dress-up clothes, festive accessories, masks and props between Sept. 28 and Oct. 23. All costumes will be donated to children in need.

Drop off items at the Taraval Police Station, 2345 24th Ave.; Fire Station #18, 1933 32nd Ave.; Sunset Recreation Center, 2201 Lawton St.; or at my City Hall office, Room 260.

For questions, contact our office at (415) 554-7460 or send and e-mail to chustaff@sfgov.org. You can also view our newsletters and obtain information on upcoming community events at the Web site www.sfgov.org/chu.

Carmen Chu is a San Francisco supervisor representing District 4.