Supervisor Kathryn Barger Introduces Motion to Strengthen LA County’s Operational Earthquake Preparedness
Motion calls for expanded community response training, an annual countywide earthquake exercise, and new partnerships with the scientific community
Following a presentation to the Board of Supervisors on Los Angeles County’s earthquake readiness, Supervisor Kathryn Barger today introduced a motion to expand community preparedness, increase operational exercises, and deepen partnerships with the scientific community ahead of a major seismic event.
The Board heard from Dr. Lucy Jones, Director of the Center for Disaster Resilience, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna, and leaders from the Office of Emergency Management, LA County Fire Department, and Public Works.
Dr. Jones told the Board that Los Angeles County has the highest risk index in the country, and that all Southern California counties receive a very low resilience score. She noted there are “too many faults to worry about just one.”
“What will happen in our biggest earthquake will overwhelm us, and the best thing we can do is to partner, now,” said Dr. Lucy Jones. “Research from Hurricane Katrina showed that the communities that came back are the ones that had the highest amount of social capital.”
County departments outlined their work to prepare. That includes three-day self-sufficiency supplies at every Fire Department station, expanded Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, and a new “Know Your Risk” portal on the County’s earthquake webpage. Speakers also highlighted a new animated earthquake preparedness PSA and a campaign showing residents how to build a starter emergency kit for $25, recognizing that preparedness can feel out of reach for families facing cost pressures or competing priorities.
“We need to educate and empower people so they know what to do,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
Building on the presentation, Supervisor Barger’s motion contains three directives. First, it requests that the Sheriff’s Department, in coordination with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Management, identify sustainable local, state, federal, and grant funding to expand, modernize, and maintain CERT training and deployment. The Departments would report back in writing within 90 days with staffing needs, resource requirements, and a long-term plan to increase CERT coverage, especially in high-risk and underserved communities.
Second, the motion directs the Office of Emergency Management to develop and implement an annual full-scale or functional earthquake exercise, separate from and in addition to the Great ShakeOut. The exercise would test departmental response, the Emergency Operations Center, communications systems, resource management, logistics, and recovery operations, with multi-agency participation and realistic scenarios informed by current seismic science.
Third, the motion directs the Office of Emergency Management to report back in writing within 90 days on opportunities to partner with academic, state, and federal entities, such as the Alliance for Disaster Resilience at Caltech, to strengthen the County’s earthquake risk reduction.
The motion will come before the Board of Supervisors for consideration on October 20, 2026.
Residents can take part in the Great ShakeOut on October 15, 2026, by registering at ShakeOut.org, and can look up earthquake and other hazards for their address through the Know Your Risk portal on the County’s earthquake webpage.
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