Now that Los Angeles has a more up-to-date idea of where some of the major fault lines do and do not run through the city, it can focus on what would happen if a serious seismic event actually happened. In a timely announcement (Friday's the twentieth anniversary of the 1994 Northridge earthquake), Mayor Garcetti will partner with US Geological Survey seismologist Lucile M. Jones over the coming year to "develop earthquake resilience strategies for Los Angeles," according to a press release; the idea is to introduce science to policy so they can work together to prep LA for The Big One. To start, Dr. Jones will create a list of potential vulnerabilities (especially in water delivery, first-response, and communications systems), then consult with other experts, and finally have public meetings and deliver her recommendations by the end of the year, according to the LA Times. Another important goal for the program is finding a way to prepare existing privately-owned structures to withstand a big 'quake—a widely-acknowledged weakness that's persisted since it came to light in the wake of Northridge.
· L.A. Mayor Garcetti Calls for Aggressive Earthquake Safety Effort [LAT]
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