6th annual California Day of Preparedness

Over 3,000 Californians attended the 6th annual California Day of Preparedness event in Historic Old Sacramento on Saturday, Sept. 6 where visitors enjoyed a variety of disaster readiness demonstrations including a mobile earthquake simulator – sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the California Utilities Emergency Association (CUEA), which allowed participants to experience the magnitude of the recent 6.0 Napa Earthquake. Guests also witnessed the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Drowning Accident Rescue Team (DART) and Marine Unit conduct water rescues, and the unique sensory abilities of search and rescue dogs.

Cal OES recognizes the importance of partnerships and was proud to partner with PG&E as the lead sponsor for this year’s event. Home Depot also gave away 1,000 water saving kits, helping residents improve their water efficiency and reduce the impacts of California’s historic statewide drought.

This event coincides with the commemoration of September as National Preparedness Month by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as the 13th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

“The recent magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck Napa, the ongoing drought, the thousands of wildfires that have occurred in California so far this year, the anniversary of 9/11 and the threat of a major earthquake in the state highlight the importance of preparedness at all levels of society, particularly as individuals, families and communities,” said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci. “I salute those who have already taken steps to prepare, encourage them to take the next step and urge those who haven’t prepared yet to be a force and take action now.

“PG&E is pleased to partner with Cal OES to sponsor the California Day of Preparedness. Being prepared and ready to respond to all types of emergencies is crucial, as we never know when the next natural disaster will strike our area,” said Barry Anderson, vice president of emergency preparedness and response for PG&E. “We want our customers to be safe, and we want to help them get their lives back to normal. That’s why we are always working to optimize our tools, processes and alignment for emergencies with local, state and federal stakeholders.”