The Great ShakeOut- Jim Feathersone Interview

Interviewer:  Jim, how are you connected to the USGS’ ShakeOut earthquake scenario?

Jim Feathersone:  Our office, our department, our city are very, very willing partners in the USGS ShakeOut scenario and everything that will take place on the day of the ShakeOut.  We see it as a very strong, very genuine outreach to the community and an education opportunity to let our folks know what will happen in the event of a catastrophic earthquake.

Interviewer:  How was your office in particular using the science presented in this scenario?

Jim Feathersone:  I think the operative word, the keyword there, is science.  We have a scenario that’s based on the work of some very diligent, very prolific scientists in USGS who worked at this issue for years and now, they’ve come with a scenario that we can believe in, we can trust, and that helps educate the public.  An aware public and an educated public is a public that is much more able to prepare for a catastrophic earthquake and more importantly, to rebound from the effects of a catastrophic earthquake.

Interviewer:  Jim, what are you most proud of or excited about the Great ShakeOut and why do you think it’s important?

Jim Feathersone:  For me, the significance if I have to nail it down to one issue, the significance of the Great ShakeOut is how far-reaching it is.  Millions of people will participate in this event and the awareness that this represents is huge.  How often do we have millions of a very dynamic, very pluralistic American society participate and focus on one type of event?

When you talk about science or what the science of the Great ShakeOut scenario does, for me, it puts things in perspective.  When I gaze out my window, I realize that every building, every high-rise I can see from the 15th floor here in City Hall in Los Angeles will be impacted by this catastrophic earthquake.  The science of the Great ShakeOut has allowed me to bring that perspective home.

Interviewer:  From your perspective, if there is one thing you could tell the public, what would you tell them?

Jim Feathersone:  Education and awareness are key to preparedness.  A prepared people are a people who can take care of themselves.  The more prepared we are, the better we are to take care of ourselves in that first half hour, those first 24 hours, the first 72 hours, etc.  And more importantly, our ability to be prepared causes us to be much more resilient so we can rebound and spring back from a catastrophe such as this.