Orange County can be proud!
In October, we saw fire conditions that in other areas could have caused widespread destruction and horror: violent winds gusts of up to 90 miles per hour whipping up flames and embers in Silverado Canyon and the Blue Ridge region of Yorba Linda.
Quickly encroaching precariously near suburban tracts, these fires had the potential to take out dozens of homes, if not more.
Evacuations were widespread – with 60,000 people advised to pack up their bags and leave their homes.
It was terrifying, but Orange County was prepared.
Most homes threatened by the fires were built under the state’s most recent fire codes. Public education about the importance of brush clearing was emphasized in neighborhoods, and – as the Los Angeles Times Reported – “the largest regional firefighting force in the world was at the ready and just a phone call away.”
This is what resilience looks like.
Resilience comes when people do their part to protect themselves, their properties and businesses from disaster. It comes when communities support public safety services and policies. And it comes when buildings are constructed to withstand the natural threats facing them.
Earthquake preparedness
We have all practiced ducking under desks and putting together emergency preparedness kits for our homes, cars and children’s schools – protecting ourselves in case something topples toward us from above, and making sure that we have supplies on hand if we need them.
But how many of us have taken our buildings into account during this preparation?
How vulnerable is your apartment to earthquake damage? Is it located within a fault, landslide or liquefaction zone – where the ground reacts like Jell-O to seismic waves — jiggling, undulating and putting the structures built upon it in jeopardy.
Active earthquake faults run along the coast and mountain ranges, hitting places such as Huntington Beach and Yorba Linda.
And the hillside communities of Laguna Beach, San Clemente and Santiago Canyon are prone to landslides that can be triggered in a major earthquake, potentially undermining the foundation of a home, or sliding into one.
If your apartment building is the type proven to be vulnerable to earthquake damage, consider having a complimentary property assessment performed by an experienced retrofit engineering and construction company such as Optimum Seismic to determine whether any retrofitting work should be done.
What types of buildings are most vulnerable?
- Pre-1978 soft-story structures (typically with parking on the ground floor and units built above)
- Pre-1933 unreinforced masonry buildings
- Pre-1980 concrete tilt-up buildings
- Pre-1978 non-ductile concrete structures
- Pre-1996 steel moment frame buildings
Orange County’s canyon communities are vulnerable to fire – and residents should continue to take action to guard against them.
Similarly, all of Orange County is vulnerable to earthquakes. Owners and property managers should act now to protect against the risks their apartment building face. Contact Optimum Seismic today for a free property evaluation at (323)605-0000.
