Jump to Prepare for Long, Uncertain Disasters
Jump to Quakeproof Your Stuff
Jump to Seismic Retrofits for Your Home
Natural disasters are inevitable. Destruction doesn't have to be.
Our area's unique geography and location predisposes us not only to serious fire danger, but also to major winter/spring storms — and at some point, the likelihood of an earthquake: perhaps even the Big One.
In a big quake or an extraordinarily bad storm, the entire region will be effected; if you're on the grid, power is likely to go out, as might cell phones and landlines. (In the 2014 Napa quake, at 6.0 magnitude, only ham radios worked.) Roads could slide away. County and State emergency services may be overwhelmed. In a region-wide disaster, our Fort Ross/Cazadero Hills area, as a rural locale with relatively few residents, will be at the end of the line for repairs and official atttention. It might be several days — or weeks — before basic services are restored.
It will be up to us to help each other. We urge every household to prepare for the possibility of riding out a long, slow disaster (the coronavirus crisis has given us all a head start). As people who choose to live in remote wildlands, we must take responsibility for our own needs. That means being prepared to be self-sufficient for two or three weeks when necessary.
Let's look at what we're facing:
The famous San Andreas Fault comes ashore north of Jenner on Highway 1, and runs through Fort Ross park. The Fort's historic orchard has scarps and sags where you can practically leap from the Pacific Plate to the North American Plate: tectonic hopscotch. There are two red arrows painted on the asphalt of north Ft. Ross Road, showing the direction of each plate as they creep past each other. (See fascinating photos and accounts of the 1906 quake which ripped through Fort Ross, and note that the epicenter was some 68 miles south).
Check out this interactive map of local fault lines and historic earthquakes. Type in the name of your road to get a sense of your home's relationship to the San Andreas and, zooming out, other faultlines in Sonoma County. Here's another interactive map that rates your hazards for fault rupture, ground liquefaction, and landslides (spoiler: whew, it's not as bad here as in other places). One more map: Sonoma County's faultlines and liquefaction zones.
Have we convinced you yet? A major earthquake is possible at any time, day or night, fire season or rainy season. Earthquake warning research is new and uncertain; at best we'll get a few seconds' heads up. Yes, it's scary that a major disaster can hit us randomly. The only sensible thing is to take a deep breath, and be ready. Denial is not a strategy.
Meanwhile, every year we ride out big storms…
Our community is nestled in the first coastal mountain ranges, just a skip away from the Pacific ocean. Our mountains meet every incoming storm and atmospheric river (which, by the way, are getting stronger) and lift up the thick wet clouds, which cool and then drop their moisture right smack on us. (Technically, it's called "orographic lift and adiabatic cooling.") The result is that our micro-region has one of the highest rainfall totals in California, commonly between 60-80 inches during the usual rainy season of November-April — in some years, totals are over 100 inches. Add in high winds from these storms, often 50-60 mph, more on the peaks.
Most of us are used to dealing with a lot of rain. It comes with the territory. A few trees may come down, and sometimes road slumps and slippages can cut off residents for weeks at a time.
Luckily we can get solid warnings of incoming storms several days in advance by checking the local NOAA weather forecasts.
If a tree falls and blocks a road, call 911 and the FRVFD will come out to cut and move it. Even if it's a private road, if you can't deal with it, call 911.
If there are power lines down, never cross them, don't touch, back off! Call 911 first, then PG&E directly to report: (800) 743-5000.
A pod is a group of neighbors who help each other prepare for and get through an emergency. In a powerful earthquake or giant whomping storm, a well-organized pod may be your first responders by default. Your pod could make the difference in everyone's well-being. Check out this PDF with tips and information on forming neighborhood pods.
Whether or not you have a local pod, if a severe storm or quake hits us, please, check on your neighbors. And share generously — it might be you who needs help next time.
Start with "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country: A Handbook for the San Francisco Bay Region," a downloadable booklet put together by the U.S. Geological Survey. It's written for city folks, and annoyingly its maps cut off just before our part of North Bay. But there's still tons of useful info here.
The Bay Area Resilience Program has lots of excellent material also, and more detailed than above.
Next, prepare your own home, starting with stocking up on food and essentials.
In a earthquake, loose, unsecured stuff can injure you and cause a lot of inside damage. Much of that is preventable.
Your interior quakeproofing projects could be finished in a dedicated weekend, or you could do it bit by bit. The important thing is to do it. It could even be a fun project for your neighborhood pod to do together.
The materials needed to secure your stuff can be found at local hardware stores or online. Your goal is to keep stuff from flying if our world starts shaking.
Next, evaluate your gas and water appliances.
On a larger scale, outside, your water tank(s) should have a flexible connector at the output valve. PVC waterlines, so very common here, may break in a big shakeout. Having a spare tank, closed and offline from your main water system, with a way to tap into it, may spare you from being completely without water until you can repair your system.
If your house is older and was built without benefit of current earthquake codes, seismic retrofits are crucial to having it survive a major quake. Retrofitting is a complex subject, involving foundations and structural integrity. What the structure needs and how much it might cost depends on how your house was built, when, with what materials.
The California Earthquake Authority, a not-for-profit consortium of insurance companies created by the California legislature, has one of the best introductions to the subject. Start here to assess your structural risks and needs. Also look through the retrofitting documents at the Bay Area Resilience Program.
Unless you are a builder yourself, you will want to hire one. Use caution, as there are shady actors out there, a considerable amount of money on the line, and your family's safety at stake. Thoroughly check out the builder/contractor you are considering. Here's a list of local contractors who have completed FEMA training in earthquake retrofitting. Check a contractor's license here.
If you have a mobile home or trailer, you'll need good bracing. See this for starters.
The California Earthquake Authority is also a good source of information about earthquake insurance for homeowners, renters, and people with mobile homes. Surprisingly, the average home insurance policy in California does not cover earthquakes.