Deadlines for Disaster: County Takes 13 Steps

Three years ago, the Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project developed a 39-step plan to get the county ready for an earthquake. In February, 1987, the Board of Supervisors directed that $3 million be spent to implement the following 13 steps as a “first phase.”

1. Structural survey of all county-owned buildings built before 1950 and likely to be vulnerable. Cost: $220,000. Deadline: February, 1988. Status: Ready soon.

2. Plan for all county buildings to have enough fire extinguishers train employees to use them. Cost: $31,557. Deadline: February, 1992. Status: Complete.

3. Plan for all county buildings to have an emergency generator to operate lights, phones, radios, computers and other vital equipment. Cost: $1,627,164. Deadline: February, 1997. Status: Unfunded.

4. Plan for emergency communication system between all county agencies and facilities as backup to phone system. Cost: $155,500. Deadline: August, 1987. Status: Complete.

5. Plan to properly secure radios, computer terminals, antennas and other vital communication equipment. Cost: $267,000. Deadline: August, 1987. Status: Complete.

6. Plan to protect all vital records and databases. Cost: $2,000. Deadline: February, 1988. Status: In progress.

7. Purchase emergency survival kits for all county offices. Cost: $125,000. Deadline: February, 1991. Status: In progress and on schedule.

8. Stockpile emergency equipment, including power saws, portable generators, air filtration masks and rescue air bags. Cost: $253,786. Deadline: February, 1990. Status: Unfunded.

9. Historic review of earthquakes and recoveries in California. Cost: $150,000. Deadline: February, 1989. Status: Unfunded.

10. Review of zoning and development laws and recommendations for any needed changes. Cost: $175,000. Deadline: February, 1988. Status: Uncertain.

11. Plan for emergency disaster information centers, Cost: $30,500. Deadline: February, 1988. Status: In progress.

12. Identify major highways, railroads, airports, dams, sanitation and utility stations and develop plan for protecting them and identifying alternatives should they fail. Cost: $140,000, Deadline: February, 1988. Status: Unfunded.

13. Evaluate state environmental building codes and any implications for this plan. Cost: None given. Status: Complete.