STAY SAFE AFTER THE QUAKE: Even amid a pandemic, Southern Californians need to stay vigilant.

by Eloy Gomez

GRF safety/emergency coordinator

Many Americans have become so concerned about COVID-19 that they have forgotten about preparing or maintaining their emergency survival kits for other disasters.

“Disasters don’t stop for a virus,” says Craig Fugate, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Still, experts stress that people living in disaster-prone regions are not helpless. Personal preparation is more important than ever—from fine-tuning disaster kits to volunteering in shelter management, community emergency response team CERT, or by taking a course in First Aid, CPR and AED. “We can always shape a better future,” The COVID-19 virus has forced most Leisure World shareholders to remain in their homes, which is not all bad because now would be the perfect time to purchase or build your emergency preparedness kit, and to check your existing kit to ensure expired items are rotated and replaced.

Emergency kits are vital for anyone living in disaster-prone areas, and they contain many of the same supplies that people bought to hunker down during the pandemic. In this issue, you will find a guide with tips to create and organize you emergency kit, secure your space, plan to be safe during and after a disaster and much more.

See the special Earthquake Prep section on pages 14-15.