On October 17, the annual California Great Shakeout drill will take place throughout the state. MySafe:LA has been an active participant in the Great Shakeout since our inception, and our directors were involved all the way back to the first shakeout in 2007.

The Great Shakeout 2013 is an excellent opportunity for anyone in Los Angeles to test their earthquake readiness. Did you know that the US Geological Survey estimates that within the coming 30 years, it’s a near certainty that Los Angeles will suffer a major earthquake? It’s true.

The quake many are most worried about will originate at the southern end of the San Andreas fault, far south of Los Angeles. The southern end of the San Andreas is more than 150 years overdue to rip – and when it does, the greater LA area will rock and quake for up to five minutes. 1,600 fires are likely to erupt within minutes of the quake’s disruptive power running the length of southern California. There are only 106 fire stations in LA, so imagine the number of fire that will likely burn without any professional suppression efforts.

In 1906, the Great San Francisco Earthquake resulted in the near destruction of the entire city. But, it wasn’t the ground moving that caused the majority of damage – it was the fire that followed. This year, the theme for the Great Shakeout is “fire following earthquakes.”

There are many things you can do to be ready when the “big one” strikes. To learn more, visit our QuakeSmart:LA section. We’ll be sharing more about earthquakes, Los Angeles, and what our plans are for October 17 in the coming days and weeks. In the meantime, make sure you and your family register for this year’s shakeout. It only take a minute, and it could help you be better prepared to survive an earthquake.