Asking “what’s the worst thing that could happen” is the best way for apartment owners to begin preparing to prevent costly earthquake losses that could lead to bankruptcy.
Imagine you wake up tomorrow to terrible shaking. Within hours you learn the apartment buildings you worked for throughout your life have partially […]
Earthquakes are a constant threat in California. “The Big One” can hit anytime, and cause severe damage to vulnerable apartment buildings, along with death and injuries.
Apartment buildings with a “soft-story” are particularly at-risk of earthquake damage. Soft-story buildings usually have a large, open ground floor space like a parking area, […]
Earthquakes have confused and terrified people throughout human history.
In ancient times, many people believed earthquakes were the result of angry gods, giants and huge animals.
The Japanese believed a giant catfish living at the bottom of the ocean would shake the Earth when he moved. The Greeks blamed Poseidon, the god […]
Insurance carriers track the pulse of California’s earthquake liabilities, just as they monitor trends in fire, flood, hurricanes, and other hazards that cause claims to be filed for property damage, injury or death.
Warnings from seismologists that California is long overdue for a major earthquake has property owners and insurance actuaries […]
After the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Van Nuys suffered significant damage in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, the company invested $11 million to retrofit structures to withstand the next major temblor – which struck in 1994 with the Northridge quake.
Even though the brewery was located just a few miles from the epicenter […]
Many older homes and apartment buildings contain lead and asbestos. Owners sometimes downplay the health hazards these substances pose to humans and the environment. Some bypass the rules by removing these contaminants undercover — hoping that no one finds out.
Failure to comply with laws on the removal of these hazards […]
Structural engineering plays a very important role in our society today. We show our great confidence into the work of structural engineers every time we drive on an overpass, pass through a tunnel, or enter a building. In every case we trust our lives to the knowledge and workmanship of […]
The Santa Ana Mountain range in Orange County is a beautiful regional treasure, providing a spectacular backdrop to life in our area.
Beginning at the Whittier Fault and stretching south to the Santa Margarita River, major summits reach skyward, the mightiest being Modjeska (5,496 feet) and Santiago (5,689 feet) – which […]
Does your apartment building meet today’s standards for functionality, design and seismic safety?
Today’s tenants have higher standards when it comes to style, convenience and earthquake safety. A recent Suffolk University/Los Angeles Times poll showed that 80% of Angelenos support their city’s mandatory seismic retrofit law —and, there are many vulnerable […]
Risk is not an exact science, but with enough information and statistical data we can pinpoint the types of structures most likely to suffer damage in an earthquake – and where they are.
What earthquake threats does the Southern Cities region face? Let’s start with location: Long Beach in 1933 suffered […]
