A Call to Action

Large earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region can produce sudden and tremendous loss of life and property, threatening the region’s social and economic fabric. Although quakes cannot be prevented, the damage they do can be greatly reduced through prudent planning and preparedness. Much preparation has already been done, but because a large quake is likely and could happen at any moment, further preparations should not be delayed.

WG02’s reassessment of earthquake probabilities in the Bay region reaffirms that the earthquake hazard is both high and widely spread. This reassessment will help business, government, and the public make informed choices as they continue their earthquake preparations. Using the new knowledge on the level of earthquake hazard and the degree of exposure and vulnerability in different parts of the Bay region, USGS and other scientists are working with decisionmakers to help plan and prioritize mitigation efforts and strategies. The ongoing work of USGS and other scientists in evaluating earthquake probabilities for the San Francisco Bay region is part of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program’s efforts to safeguard lives and property from the future quakes that are certain to strike in northern California and elsewhere in the United States.

SIMPLE STEPS TO EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

Before the next quake, learn: • What to do during a quake, • What supplies to have on hand, and • How to make sure your home, office, and schools are safe. Some good places to get preparedness information are the front of telephone directories, libraries, Red Cross (http://www.bayarea-redcross.org), California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (510-286-0873; http://www.oes.ca.gov/), Association of Bay Area Governments (http//www.abag.ca.gov/), and U.S Geological Survey (http://earthquake.usgs.gov).

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| Earthquake Probabilities 2003–2032 | From Probabilities to Hazard | A Call to Action |

| Earthquake Odds—A Balancing Act |

Edited by Peter H. Stauffer and James W. Hendley II

Graphics by Susan Mayfield and Sara Boore; Web layout by Carolyn Donlin

COOPERATING ORGANIZATIONS
Association of Bay Area Governments
California Geological Survey
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Geomatrix Consultants Inc.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
University of California at Berkeley
William Lettis & Associates
Many other institutions, organizations, and firms

For more information contact:
Earthquake information Hotline (650) 329-4085
U.S. Geological Survey, Mail Stop 977
345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
http://earthquake.usgs.gov

Related Fact Sheets

The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in NEHRP—Investing in a Safer Future (USGS Fact Sheet 017-03)

“Shake-Maps”—Instant Maps of Earthquake Shaking (USGS Fact Sheet 103-00)

When Will the Next Great Quake Strike Northern Cali-fornia? (USGS Fact Sheet 094-96)

Hazard Maps Help Save Lives and Property (USGS Fact Sheet 183-96)