Last week the City Council met with representatives of the U.S Geological Survey and the California Geological Survey to discuss some questions we had about the process they used to develop their earthquake hazard maps.
With the recent 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, we were all reminded that we live in an area where the ground shakes, rattles and rolls. News articles had varied interpretations of what would happen to Foster City when the earth shakes.
We read in some articles that Foster City experienced liquefaction during the 1989 quake and that was our fate in the next “Big One.” The way it read was rather disturbing. The question remained as to where this liquefaction took place and to what degree. We discovered that the areas were right next to the Bay near the Golf course and near a small section of the levee near the bridge; exactly where you might expect this type of reaction.
The geologists showed us many maps of the bay area which size up what might be expected if a major earthquake hits. The assorted colors of red, pink, yellow and green seem to blanket the entire region. These maps depict ground conditions that make up the entire Bay Area, the fault lines and the types of hazards that communities within this area can expect to experience.
The recent Hurricane Katrina disaster has made an impact on all of us to make sure we personally prepare for the types of disasters specific to our area. Since the Geological Survey team in California is updating information for their maps, we felt it very important to sit down with them and make sure that our hazard mitigation plans are updated and to find out from the experts, any new ways to prepare our community for a major disaster.
Our focus during the discussion centered on interpreting the earthquake hazard maps; what they depict and how accurately they represent mitigation efforts the cities have in place. We asked the geologists their goals and communication plans for presenting earthquake hazard maps to the public.
For example, one map showed Foster City in an area where wild fires could be a major hazard similar to being in a heavily forested/brush area. Foster City apparently fell into this category because of the untreated, shake roofs that were allowed in the early years of our City. Codes have changed since then and that would put us at a low risk for that type of hazard.
We also discussed the engineered fill that created Foster City. This type of engineered fill is different from other bay filled areas. The question has always been, will Foster City soils liquefy in a major earthquake? Information about the engineered fill was important data that will assist the geologists in updating their maps to reflect the degree of risk in our area.
We also wanted to know what additional steps the City could take in preparing for the identified earthquake hazards. Fortunately, Foster City has in place most all the suggestions for mitigating hazards mentioned by the geologists. This city has recognized that it is very important to continuously update the emergency plans and building codes in order to implement disaster mitigation policies. It is much easier to fix problems before a disaster than to deal with many problems afterwards.
Are you prepared for a major quake? Have you taken steps to organize your family’s needs for a 1-2 week period, or more?
Contact the Foster City Fire Department at (650) 286-3350 or fire@fostercity.org for information about disaster pre-paredness or visit the City’s website at www.fostercity.org.
I welcome your comments: lkoelling@fostercity.org.
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