Will it happen in 5 years or 5 minutes?

BREAKING NEWS from NASA has suggested that Los Angeles will likely be seeing a sizeable earthquake sometime in the near future. While the notion that it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” is enough to start rattling Angelinos nearly as much as a temblor itself, we are all left asking one question:

To quote The Smiths: “How soon is now?”

If there is, in fact, a large-scale quake – the likes of which was overly hyperbolized in the blockbuster San Andreas – when exactly is it scheduled to hit? As everyone is already aware, Southern California is a rather fast paced place in which to live. Between afternoon brunches, stylish parties, networking opportunities, and the oft dreaded but always-certain presence of never-ending traffic, do we even have time for an earthquake?

Well, SoCal: ready or not, here it comes!

There is, however, still that small lingering matter of when the earthquake is coming. Unfortunately for us, though, no one – not even the fine folks at NASA – can say “[like,] for sure” when an earthquake will come.

Even if your Uncle Fred swears by his all-knowing right leg that he can predict when a “storm’s a-brewin’”, there is no scientific evidence to support the concept of earthquake prediction.

Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t ways of spreading the word about an earthquake that is already in progress. There is currently a wide variety of Earthquake Early Warning Systems being developed right this very minute. These systems can sense the beginning of an earthquake tremor and send an alert to those nearby to allow others to prepare (for example, by following the classic “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” instructions) before the shaking reaches their location, thus helping to mitigate the threat of earthquake-related injuries.

Aside from Early Warning Systems, which are still in the development stages, there is plenty that you yourself can do to protect your home and family from the looming threat of the “Big One”. That’s right, you can be a hero in your local community by taking the steps necessary for emergency preparedness.

Making sure that heavy furniture and fixtures are bolted to the wall will greatly reduce the risk of damages to your house, should an earthquake strike. Having an emergency evacuation plan set with your family for those “just in case” situations can definitely be invaluable in the long run as well. Packing up a disaster kit with all of your survival essentials will also come in handy when the inevitable should occur. Finally, getting your home’s foundation inspected and having a retrofit performed in order to secure and stabilize your home in the event of an earthquake is an incredibly worthwhile investment to protect your loved ones and property.

If you too are concerned about the threat of a large-scale earthquake in Los Angeles, then today is the best day to get started with your preparedness plans. Call us at Weinstein Construction today and schedule a foundation inspection right away. You will be glad you did!