Interviewer: Jim, how are you connected to the
USGS’ ShakeOut earthquake scenario?
Jim Feathersone: Our office, our department, our city are
very, very willing partners in the USGS ShakeOut scenario
and everything that will take place on the day of the ShakeOut.
We see it as a very strong, very genuine outreach to the
community and an education opportunity to let our folks
know what will happen in the event of a catastrophic earthquake.
How was your office in particular using the science
presented in this scenario?
I think the operative word, the keyword there, is science.
We have a scenario that’s based on the work of some very
diligent, very prolific scientists in USGS who worked at
this issue for years and now, they’ve come with a scenario
that we can believe in, we can trust, and that helps educate
the public. An aware public and an educated public is a
public that is much more able to prepare for a catastrophic
earthquake and more importantly, to rebound from the
effects of a catastrophic earthquake.
Jim, what are you most proud of or excited about the
Great ShakeOut and why do you think it’s important?
For me, the significance if I have to nail it down to one
issue, the significance of the Great ShakeOut is how
far-reaching it is. Millions of people will participate
in this event and the awareness that this represents is
huge. How often do we have millions of a very dynamic,
very pluralistic American society participate and focus
on one type of event?
When you talk about science or what the science of the
Great ShakeOut scenario does, for me, it puts things
in perspective. When I gaze out my window, I realize that
every building, every high-rise I can see from the 15th
floor here in City Hall in Los Angeles will be impacted
by this catastrophic earthquake. The science of the
Great ShakeOut has allowed me to bring that perspective home.
From your perspective, if there is one thing you could
tell the public, what would you tell them?
Education and awareness are key to preparedness.
A prepared people are a people who can take care of
themselves. The more prepared we are, the better we are to take care of ourselves in that first half hour, those first 24 hours
the first 72 hours, etc. And more importantly, our ability to be
prepared causes us to be much more resilient so we can
rebound and spring back from a catastrophe such as this.