Did You Feel That? Eaaaarrrttthquaaaaaakke!

Hey Fresnans, did you feel that earthquake yesterday? I sure did...

I spent most of my evening picking up books that fell off of my shelves, cleaning up broken glass, and attempting to put my life back together. Does this seem crazy? Of course, it does! I didn't really do any of those things, instead I spent most of my night on the couch watching American Idol. Did anyone else think Lady Gaga's outfit was beyond strange? I digress...

Yesterday at 12:07pm, a 2.0 magnitude earthquake occurred in Fresno County, 3 miles Southeast of the City of Fresno. While a 2.0 earthquake is hardly noticeable to us, it lead to me think...a serious earthquake could most definitely happen right here in our Valley.

Granted, we have tremors in California just about as often as we have traffic or sunny days. The fact of the matter is, we are long overdue for a large catastrophic earthquake. While the odds of it directly affecting Valley cities are low, the impact that it may cause on the area may cause serious concern. With the San Andrea fault lying directly beneath 9 cities with a population of 250,000 or more, which includes metropolis regions like San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles, we have to think what resources maybe drained from us as we provide relief to others.

This is why we at the Red Cross cannot stress enough how important it is for individuals and business owners to take advantage of Red Cross programs like "Be Red Cross Ready" or the "Red Cross Ready Rating Program." These programs will help you be prepared for disasters and ensure that you and your loved ones will be safe and secure. Not to mention, the more

prepared individuals are in the Central Valley will allow Red Cross Volunteers to provide aid and relief to those who aren't. The time to prepare is now, so join us today.

Just think, in the time you spent watching American Idol, you could have built an emergency preparedness kit, created an escape plan, and practiced with your family. It's really that easy! 

For more information contact your local Red Cross Chapter at (559) 455-1000.


-Alex