Los Angeles County residents, including those who live or work within the Culver City Real Estate area, will hopefully now have a few extra seconds of warning before the Big One hits. A new app unveiled yesterday will provide Angelinos with an early warning for earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or greater in Los Angeles County. The app is called ShakeAlertLA.
Local listing agent Martin Feinberg notes that the app is the nation’s first public early warning system. It is part of a pilot program with the U.S. Geological Survey, AT&T, and The Annenberg Foundation.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti stated on Twitter, “Earthquakes are a matter of when — not if. We’re officially launching #ShakeAlertLA tomorrow, and today you can become one of the first to use our early warning technology.”
The ShakeAlertLA app was officially unveiled at City Hall on Thursday, but it has been available for download for a few days on many mobile phones at Mayor.LA/3pwx30nakMm.
The app is designed to save lives by giving people time to head to safety before major building damage. It remains to be seen however just how much, if any, warning residents actually will get.
According to the app description, “ShakeAlertLA is NOT a prediction that an earthquake will occur. It signals that an earthquake has started and you may feel shaking. This app is meant to help provide alerts for your safety.”
The mobile app is designed to provide advance notice that an earthquake is about to strike through a text or other electronic means. It works with the ShakeAlertLA system, which is made up of a network of in- ground sensors that can detect seismic activity.
“You may receive the alert before, during or after shaking,” the app tells users. “Take protective action as soon as you receive an alert or feel or hear an earthquake. Drop, cover and hold on.”
The City Council in June approved the negotiation of a $300,000 contract with AT&T and the GRYD Foundation for the design, creation and deployment of the Early Earthquake Warning System Mobile Application.
Martin Feinberg, Realtor, was interested to learn that in addition to providing quake alerts, the app also includes tips on preparing for and recovering from an earthquake. It also includes a listing and map of recent quakes.
