Most Americans can name only one fault line – the San Andreas Fault. Running nearly the entire length of California, this fault has the potential to unleash a devastating earthquake at any moment. But, do people really believe the big one is coming? Do you?
Continue reading “Do People Believe the “Big One” is Coming?”
How do buildings keep their occupants safe in earthquakes? A well-enforced building code is a critical first step, but technology also plays a significant role. In part 1 of this series, we focused on one of the most popular methods to protect buildings from earthquake damage, base isolation. In this article, we will share more ways to keep buildings safe in earthquakes by describing innovative protective systems and how these technologies help buildings resist earthquakes.
Continue reading “More Ways to Keep Buildings Safe in Earthquakes”
As a PG&E customer, your electricity may be shut off if extreme fire danger conditions threaten a portion of the electric system serving your community. PG&E is implementing this precautionary measure, called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), to help reduce the risk of wildfires.
Extreme weather can last anywhere from a few hours to several days. Therefore PG&E recommends being prepared for outages that could last longer than 48 hours. What does this mean for you and your disaster plan?
Continue reading “How will Public Safety Power Shutoff Affect my Disaster Preparedness?”
Here are some easy and affordable ways to prepare for an earthquake:
For California, another large earthquake is inevitable. In 1906, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck San Francisco and destroyed 28,000 structures, over 80% of the city’s buildings at the time. The magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 is estimated to have caused anywhere from $6-10 billion in property damages around the Bay Area. But these days there’s technology to help buildings resist earthquakes. One the most robust ways for a building to resist earthquake damage is base isolation. As a follow-up to the detailed New York Times article about base isolation, we take a deep dive into base isolation in San Francisco.
Continue reading “Are Buildings in SF on Rollers? Base Isolation in San Francisco”
