You might not think you live in earthquake country, but at least 42 states are considered at moderate to very high earthquake risk. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming have all been hit with a 4.0 or above magnitude earthquake since 2003.
Lessons Learned
Some of the largest earthquakes have been in our backyard (California). You may recall seeing the news during the 1989 Loma Pieta earthquake in northern California, which measured 7.1 on the Richter scale. The destructive quake caused 63 deaths, 3,757 injuries and $6 billion in property damage. Five years later, southern California was hit with a major earthquake. The Northridge earthquake had a 6.7 magnitude and was felt for 2,000 square miles. The quake killed 60 people, injured 11,000, left 20,000 homeless and damaged more than 40,000 buildings.
The good news is that the industry has learned a great deal since these earthquakes occurred and has developed new construction methods that better equip homes to withstand a seismic event. We invite you to learn more about earthquakes, how they affect your home and what you can do to increase your home’s earthquake resistance.
As part of the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) Converging Design project, Simpson Strong-Tie collaborated with several universities to perform a series of outdoor shake table tests on a six-story hybrid structural steel and mass timber structure at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
Continue reading “Innovation through Research and Collaboration: The Converging Design Project”
Jennifer Price from Simpson Strong-Tie heads the National Webinar Program within the Training Department. During her 32-year tenure at Simpson, she has worked in various roles spanning Marketing, IT, Compliance, and, most recently, on the SAP Implementation project. Originally hailing from South Africa, she has made California her home since joining the company and resides in the charming town of Lafayette. Jennifer recently had her home retrofitted to withstand seismic earthquakes. Discover insights from a homeowner’s viewpoint on the process, expenses and advantages of seismic retrofitting.
On the third Thursday of every October, organizations and companies worldwide participate in earthquake drills and other preparedness activities. These activities are part of the Great ShakeOut, an annual event founded after the Loma Prieta Earthquake on October 17, 1989.
Continue reading “Seismology and You: A Brief Overview of Some Major Earthquakes in Recent History”
In our first blog post in this series, we identified why older homes are more vulnerable than newer homes to earthquake damage. We described what retrofitting is and how it strengthens your home’s structure. And lastly, we posed five questions you should ask yourself when deciding if your home needs retrofitting.
Continue reading “Three Critical Steps to Seismic Retrofit a Home”
Each year, Simpson Strong-Tie teams up with the West Coast’s top earthquake scientists and preparedness experts to take questions from Redditors about earthquakes and tsunamis. The Reddit AMA is part of the Great ShakeOut, the world’s largest earthquake drill, where 55 million people drop, cover and hold on. The next Great ShakeOut is scheduled to take place at 10:17 a.m. on October 15, 2020.
Continue reading “Great ShakeOut 2020: Reddit Asks Us Anything About Earthquakes”
October is Earthquake Preparedness Month, and October 15 is the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill. In this blog series, we thought we’d share some steps homeowners can take to help minimize the risk of damage from earthquakes. Depending on your location, you may find further information and resources at the end of each blog post, with links to local cities that participate in resiliency plans for homeowners and contractors.
If an earthquake were to strike at this very moment, are you confident your home is adequately constructed to withstand its forces? Continue reading “Protecting Homes Against Earthquakes — a New Blog Series”
When you live in earthquake country, you know it’s not “if” there will be a big quake, it’s “when.” You may have an earthquake emergency kit ready, but there are also steps you can take now to strengthen your home to make it more resistant to earthquake damage. And if you live in California, there’s a program called the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) that provides up to $3,000 for seismic retrofit grants to homeowners residing in more than 150 California zip codes. If you’ve checked it before and your zip code wasn’t listed, be sure to check it again because the list has been expanded and changes every year. Continue reading “How Earthquake Brace + Bolt Provides Financial Support to Help California Homeowners Retrofit”
Community resilience is the concept that we can design and build better to reduce susceptibility to disasters. The idea of building for resilience is in the DNA of Simpson Strong-Tie and is why we’re considered a leader in structural systems research, testing and innovation. That commitment to building for resilience is why we partner with other leaders in the field like the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society.
Each year, Simpson Strong-Tie teams up with the West Coast’s top earthquake scientists and preparedness experts to take questions from Redditors about earthquakes and tsunamis. The Reddit AMA is part of the Great ShakeOut, the world’s largest earthquake drill, where 55 million people drop, cover and hold on. The next Great ShakeOut is scheduled to take place at 10:17 a.m. on October 17, 2019, and your organization still has time to get involved.
Continue reading “Great ShakeOut 2019: Reddit Asks Us Anything About Earthquakes”
Each year, an earthquake preparedness event known as the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill takes place around the world. The coordinated earthquake drill provides an opportunity for schools, businesses, homeowners and others to practice what to do once the ground starts shaking or swaying.
Continue reading “Drop, Cover, and Hold On: International ShakeOut Day is October 17”
