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ECA Symposium at the 2024 Disasters Expo USA
September 5 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Free
Disasters Expo USA, being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center September 5-6, 2024, is hosting an all-day Earthquake Country Alliance Symposium on Thursday, September 5!
ECA Members and all Expo participants are encouraged to attend this day of science and safety with stories of quake heroes and lessons for today, in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake.
Plus you can explore the Expo’s many exhibitor booths both days of the Expo (10am-4pm), all for free. ECA is hosting a large booth with several partner organizations on both days. We’ll have plenty of materials about earthquake safety, 3D-models of faults and buildings, and more.
To get your FREE ticket for the Expo (normally $199), use this special link– then click the “register tickets” tab at top right!
We look forward to seeing you!
Agenda
| 11:00 – 11:45 | The Science of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and Innovation Since Dr. Ken Hudnut, Southern California Edison (formerly with USGS Pasadena) Ken Hudnut has led the Seismic Resiliency Program for Southern California Edison for 4 years. He advises leadership, guiding their efficient investment towards improving seismic resiliency of the electric power grid. Prior to Edison, he served as a geophysicist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in Pasadena for 28 years. In this role, he responded to significant domestic and international earthquakes, conducted research on fault interaction and earthquake rupture processes, and applied new technologies to earthquake science. |
| 12:00 – 12:45 | Building Damage Caused by the Northridge Quake and Resulting Design Improvements + Experiences of a LACoFD Firefighter/Paramedic Involved with Rescues After the Northridge Earthquake Samuel Mengelkoch, Structural Focus & Dave Norman, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Samuel Mengelkoch is a licensed Structural Engineer in California and a Principal at Structural Focus. Sam has 22 years’ experience in project management, analysis, design, and construction administration of new, existing, and historic buildings. Sam leads teams of engineers through complex projects ranging from adaptive reuse and retrofit to new, ground-up construction. Recent projects include retrofit of non-ductile concrete buildings, restoration of historic adobe structures, new office buildings, multi-family housing, sound stages, and highly technical digital studios and screening rooms. Sam volunteers as a Disaster Service Worker with the California Office of Emergency Services providing post-disaster structural inspections. In this capacity, he worked in areas heavily damaged by hurricane Katrina, helping build databases of structures and their type and degree of damage. He organizes Structural Focus’ Earthquake Response Program and assists clients in developing Accelerated Building Reoccupancy programs to reduce business interruption from earthquake disasters. Dave Norman began his career with the Palos Verdes Estates, CA Fire Department in 1982. In 1986, he began with the LA County Fire Department as a Fire Fighter Paramedic. He was promoted to Battalion Chief in 1999 and was also a Task Force Leader for the LACoFD FEMA/USAR Team. Dave holds an AS in Fire Science, BS in Vocational Education, and an MS in Emergency Management. Captain Norman was also a Rescue Team Manager and Safety Officer for the 80-member FEMA/USAID task force, which deploys on national and international rescue missions. This included the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, a 21-day deployment. He retired from LACoFD in 2023. He now is the Assistant chief for Special Operations at Cal OES. He hopes to continue serving communities through teaching, mentoring, and volunteering, to contribute to the better good and preparation of our State and Nation in emergency operations and preparedness. |
| 1:00 – 1:45 | Quake Heroes of Northridge & The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety Mark Benthien, Statewide California Earthquake Center (and ECA) Are you prepared to survive and recover when a major earthquake happens in your community? The choices we make now will also determine our quality of life in the days, months and years after. The Earthquake Country Alliance has worked with experts to develop this step-by-step guide for staying safe when the earth shakes; attendees will complete their own action plan of simple actions to take for each step. Mark Benthien is the Director of Public Education and Preparedness at the Statewide California Earthquake Center, headquartered at the University of Southern California (USC) where he works to increase earthquake and tsunami awareness and to reduce loss. Mark is also Executive Director of the California-focused Earthquake Country Alliance, which organizes the annual Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. He was recognized as a White House “Champion of Change” for expanding ShakeOut drills worldwide, which involve more than 50 million people each year. He also manages TsunamiZone.org which supports participation in California Tsunami Preparedness Week along with activities in other states and countries. Finally, he is the Executive Producer of Quake Heroes (a motivational documentary that depicts stories from the 1994 Northridge earthquake). |
| 2:00 – 2:45 | ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning for the Western States Margaret Vinci, Caltech/ShakeAlert® Learn about how to receive alerts on your mobile device or through other systems that may provide a few seconds notice prior to the arrival of earthquake shaking, including how to set up your phone and new options for automating opening of doors, slowing of trains, etc. Margaret Vinci, member of the Caltech seismological laboratory staff since 1993, is the Manager of the Office of Earthquake Programs, communications, education and outreach and is the SoCal Regional Coordinator for the ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning System. She serves as the liaison between academia and critical users of earthquake information. Her principal responsibility is the management of the Caltech Earthquake Research Affiliates Program, a partnership between seismologists and leaders in business, government and emergency response to assess potential risks to life and property due to earthquakes, development of earthquake tools to reduce losses and media interaction. As the SoCal Regional Coordinator of ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning duties include the communication, education and engagement of technical partners and end-users of ShakeAlert for public alerts and automated actions to reduce injuries and damage to infrastructures due to earthquakes. Founding member of Earthquake Country Alliance and the committee that created the Great California ShakeOut in 2008. Provides earthquake science and emergency preparedness workshops, trainings and presentations to empower residents, employees and businesses to be self-sufficient when disaster strikes and serves as one of the Earthquake Country Alliance SoCal Regional Chair to promote earthquake resiliency. |
| 3:00 – 3:45 | ECA Symposium Wrap Up and Q&A
A panel of the Symposium’s Presenters will answer all your earthquake-related questions |
QUESTIONS: socal@earthquakecountry.org
