VAN NUYS : Red Cross Offers Free Quake Program

The Los Angeles chapter of the American Red Cross is offering some free advice to remind the public about the upcoming six-month anniversary of the Northridge earthquake.

“We hardly ever do these for free,” said Red Cross spokeswoman Carol Miller about the “Earthquake Preparedness Day” planned Saturday at the Red Cross Service Center, 14717 Sherman Way, Van Nuys.

Although the Jan. 17 earthquake forced many residents to take earthquakes more seriously and requests for preparedness brochures jumped after major aftershocks, interest in being prepared for the next disaster can wane, said Red Cross officials.

The organization hopes Saturday’s event will help raise awareness, with three presentations of “Living on the Fault Line,” a two-hour program that includes slides and lectures on how to put together an earthquake preparedness kit, bolt photos and pictures to walls and take other steps. The program will be shown at 9 a.m., noon and at 3 p.m.

Before each presentation, there will be a puppet show geared to help small children understand more about earthquakes, how to be prepared, what to do and how to help them deal with the fear and other emotions from earthquakes.

“It can be a family day,” Miller said.

Usually, such presentations are given to companies at a charge, but the Red Cross wanted to offer one to the public for free to raise awareness because of the six-month anniversary of the quake.

The presentations also cover what to do when an earthquake hits when you are at home, at work or in an automobile.

The event is part of a three-day quake anniversary observance by the Earthquake Response Volunteer Network, a group of 12 local agencies that helps earthquake victims and communities get ready for the next quake.