Dr. Lucy Jones (Photos – Screegrab, LA County)
Los Angeles County must prepare for a broad earthquake threat rather than focus on any single fault, seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, September 29.
By News Desk
The county has the nation’s highest earthquake risk index, but its vulnerability extends across multiple faults and communities. Jones, director of the Center for Disaster Resilience, urged officials to strengthen partnerships and build community connections before a major earthquake strikes.
“There are too many faults to worry about just one,” Jones said. She cited research conducted after Hurricane Katrina showing that communities with stronger social ties were more likely to recover.
“What will happen in our biggest earthquake will overwhelm us, and the best thing we can do is partner now,” Jones told the board.
Following the presentation, Supervisor Kathryn Barger introduced a motion calling for expanded community preparedness, an annual full-scale or functional earthquake exercise, and stronger collaboration with scientific institutions.
The board also heard from Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna and leaders from the Office of Emergency Management, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Department of Public Works.
County departments outlined several ongoing preparedness efforts, including maintaining three days of emergency supplies at every Fire Department station and expanding Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, training. Officials also highlighted a new “Know Your Risk” portal on the county’s earthquake webpage, an animated earthquake-preparedness public service announcement and a campaign showing residents how to assemble a starter emergency kit for $25.
The initiatives are intended to make preparedness more accessible as many residents face rising costs and competing priorities.
“We need to educate and empower people so they know what to do,” Barger said.
What the motion would do
Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s motion calls for three major preparedness steps. First, county officials would identify funding and staffing needed to expand and modernize Community Emergency Response Team training, particularly in high-risk and underserved communities.
Second, the Office of Emergency Management would develop an annual full-scale or functional earthquake exercise, separate from the Great ShakeOut. The exercise would test emergency communications, resource management, logistics, departmental coordination and recovery operations.
Third, county officials would report on opportunities to work with academic, state and federal partners—including the Alliance for Disaster Resilience at Caltech—to strengthen earthquake risk-reduction efforts.
The motion directs county departments to report back within 90 days. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider it on October 20, 2026.
Residents can participate in the Great ShakeOut on October 15, 2026, by registering at ShakeOut.org. They can also use the county’s “Know Your Risk” portal to look up earthquake and other hazards associated with their addresses.
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