In Wake of Japan Disaster, San Rafael Residents are Getting Prepared

Many Californians wonder when the next earthquake will happen. After the 9.0-magnitude earthquake in Japan on March 11, more San Rafael and Marin residents are taking steps to be prepared for a local disaster.

“One of the most stressful things about being in a disaster is that fear you feel,” Emergency Services Manager Steven Hancock said at a disaster preparedness training held in San Rafael on March 24.  “When you are better prepared, you feel empowered and more confident.”

Get Ready Marin is an introductory two-hour class that focuses on how to prepare yourself and your loved ones for a disaster. The class covers tips on packing emergency kits, securing utilities and finding shelter for pets.

After the earthquake in Japan spurred a tsunami warning for the West Coast, 73 people registered for the class and 56 actually attended, according to Emergency Services Coordinator Angela Del Ponte.

Enrollment for the Marin County Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, has also increased since the tsunami warning. CERT training involves 15 total hours of learning how to handle small fires, perform minor search and rescue, give first aid and other skills.

Before the tsunami warning, around six people were enrolled in CERT training. Last week, emergency services staff had to cap enrollment at 25, leaving many people on a wait list. The next session, which starts in April, will be held in central San Rafael and already has 20 people enrolled.

“Japan is playing a part in breaking through people’s apathy and they’re saying ‘We need to be prepared,’” Del Ponte said.

San Rafael resident Phyllis Larson attended the Thursday meeting. She used to live in Sleepy Hollow and would regularly attend emergency preparedness meetings in San Anselmo and Fairfax with her husband.

Being informed is very important because so many people don’t realize that small trivial things could make a difference in a disaster, Larson said. She gave having sturdy shoes under your bed to protect your feet from any glass in an earthquake or having money on you at all times in case ATM machines loose power as examples.

In San Rafael, potential disasters include earthquakes, floods and wildfires. Emergency services staff recommend always having five to seven days worth of food and several gallons of water available in your house.

For more preparedness tips visit the Get Ready website and download their presentation.