Orange County Blog

When the big one hits, will you be ready?  Over 5 million people participated in The Great Southern California Shakeout (www.ShakeOut.org) on November 13, 2008, a drill to test our readiness to deal with the aftermath of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake.  A recent forecast found that sometime in the next three decades there is a 67 percent chance that the Greater Los Angeles area will experience a tremor of at least 6.7 – the same magnitude as the 1994 Northridge quake that killed 57 people.  A U.S. Geological Survey projection says a magnitude 7.8 quake along the San Andreas fault could cause 300 deaths in Orange County and bring down an unspecified 240,000-square-foot mixed-use building.  These sobering figures should move us to action.

What can you do to be prepared for a earthquake whether big or small?  Start by making a home earthquake plan.  Find a safe place in your home where nothing can fall on you away from windows or glass.  Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On at least twice a year by dropping under a heavy piece of furniture like a table or desk, holding on and protecting your eyes by pressing your face against your arm.  If no furniture is available, sit with your back against an interior wall away from bookcases, etc.  Identify and eliminate hazards in your home by bolting bookcases, china cabinets, and other pieces of tall furniture to wall studs.  Put sturdy latches on cupboards.  Lastly, secure televisions, books, and computers and other falling hazards.  Prepare a disaster supplies kit for both your home and car.  Some of the items to include would be canned food and a can opener, at least 3 gallons of water per person, protective clothing, bedding, battery powered radios and flashlights, extra batteries, written directions for turning off gas, electricity, and water.  A first aid kid and any necessary medications should be included in the kit as well.   Once this plan is in place, be sure that all family members, babysitters, and caregivers are aware of it.

Just as you can be prepared before an earthquake, there are tasks you can do once the shaking starts.  If you are in bed, stay there and protect your head with your pillow.  If elsewhere in your home, Drop, Cover, and Hold On, being sure to protect your head and face.  If outdoors, try to get to a clear area away from tall buildings, trees, and electrical lines and then drop to the ground.  If you are in your car, slow down and if possible, drive to a clear area away from buildings, etc. Stay in your car until the shaking stops. Through it all, try to stay calm.

Once the shaking stops, take an assessment of any injuries you may have sustained and then assess others for injuries.  Take a walk through your home, look for and extinguish any small fires. During your home inspection if you deem it unsafe, get out immediately. If you smell gas, turn it off.  But remember, only a professional can turn it back on!  Listen to the radio for information and use your telephone only to report emergencies.  Don’t be caught off guard by aftershocks as they are sure to occur.  Once again, Stop, Drop, and Hold On.

For a list of Orange County companies to help you "quake-proof" your home and family, go to the Search box on the Home Page of this Orange County Resource Guide and in the keyword box, type "Earthquake."

WSI is an association of independent welcoming services.  Each year an intensive workshop and training conference is hosted in the "hometown" of a different WSI member.  The October '08 conference was held in beautiful Pismo Beach, CA—a lovely place to visit as most of the members will attest.  Welcome Services from all over the country attend each year, sometimes coming from as far away as the UK. www.WelcomeServicesInternational.com

The managing partners of Welcome Express-- Orange County's premier welcome service since 1986 attended the 3-day event, where many ideas about welcoming new residents were shared.

Founded in the early fifties and originally named City Hostess International, the organization is a coalition of welcome services – whose sole purpose is to connect newcomers with their new surroundings.  And what a valuable purpose they serve!

Moving is an unsettling time.  Newcomers have a huge "to-do" list ranging from all the technicalities involved with changing utilities, school enrollments, & DMV records to replacing all the professional and personal services they have left behind.  It is a bit unsettling to find yourself in the position of needing to locate new doctors, dentists, veterinarians, babysitters, pet groomers, auto mechanics hair stylists—and the list goes on.  And somewhere along the way, you'd like to fix up and decorate the house you bought – turning it into your "Home Sweet Home."  Where to start?

What a wonderful surprise to receive a valuable and timely Welcome Package full of civic & community information –exactly what you need.  And the wonderful newcomer gifts – many valuable items to pick up from local merchants, including a friendly invitation extended by local business owners who want you to stop in for your own personal welcome.  They extend the hand of old-fashioned friendship in the hopes that you will choose their business as one of your local favorites to return to time and again.

While retaining the personal feel of the old-fashioned welcoming committee, the owners of modern day welcome services are now able to offer numerous ONLINE resources to the busy 21st century family—as they rapidly learn to navigate their new surroundings in Orange County. 

OCRG (Orange County Resource Guide) provides website links and phone numbers to just about everything a local would need.  From jobs, weather, traffic, dining & shopping guides to information on over 160,000 local businesses – even where to buy the cheapest gas!  It helps both newcomer and long-time residents alike save time and gas before they venture out.  In this modern era, consumers love the Local Search options on the Orange County Resource Guide.  It helps them become informed shoppers who "know before they go!"