Two Great California ShakeOut events show the public how to prepare for the ‘Big One’

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Last month’s earthquakes in Mexico are a jarring reminder that the Coachella Valley is sandwiched between the San Andreas and San Jacinto fault lines.

But preparing for the “Big One” may not be as difficult as you think.

In a Sunnylands Series presentation at the Rancho Mirage Public Library at 2 pm on Monday, Oct. 16, Dennis S. Mileti, Ph.D., an expert on earthquake and disaster preparedness, will take you inside his desert home via video to demonstrate the precautions you need to take to be ready for a devastating earthquake in the valley. Mileti is the author of Disasters by Design, a groundbreaking book on managing hazards in the United States, and a former director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

His talk at the library precedes Great California ShakeOut activities at Sunnylands Center & Gardens on Thursday, Oct. 19, where staff and guests will take part in an earthquake preparedness drill, including an evacuation of Sunnylands Center, at 10:19 am.

A number of non-profit, utility, and educational organizations also will be on hand from 9:30 am to 2 pm to speak to the public about earthquake safety.  Among them are Southern California Edison, the Coachella Valley Water District, and Animal Samaritans.  Students in the Palm Desert High School Health Academy will demonstrate triage procedures on the Great Lawn. Mileti will be available to answer the public’s questions about earthquake preparedness from 10 am to 12 pm.

Sunnylands Great California ShakeOut Events

  • October 16 – Dennis S. Mileti discusses earthquake preparedness at the Rancho Mirage Public Library, 71-100 Highway 111, at 2 pm. His presentation includes a video of the preparations he’s made in his own home in the Coachella Valley.
  • October 19 – Great California ShakeOut activities and demonstrations take place from 9:30 am to 2 pm at Sunnylands Center & Gardens, 37977 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage.