Eaton Fire Spurs Renewed Focus on Earthquake Readiness as City Joins Statewide Drill Today

January’s devastating wildfires have become an unexpected catalyst for earthquake preparedness in Pasadena, as city officials report renewed public interest in emergency readiness ahead of Thursday’s Great ShakeOut earthquake drill.

“The Eaton Fire last year helped reignite interest in emergency readiness,” said Nallely Procopio, emergency coordinator for the City of Pasadena. “When we teach you about preparing for a wildfire, we’re also teaching you about an earthquake—anything that comes our way.”

Pasadena and Altadenans will join millions across California on Thursday for the Great ShakeOut, a statewide event to promote readiness for the next major quake. City officials say the drill is meant to reinforce everyday preparedness habits as much as it is to simulate the “big one.”

“The main point is really to educate our public, create earthquake awareness, and show how we can prepare,” Procopio said. “We keep hearing about the one that we’re long overdue for here in Southern California.”

The city’s current approach emphasizes all-hazards readiness—skills that apply to earthquakes, wildfires, windstorms and more. Even practices once dismissed, like tornado safety, now get serious attention after recent local fire and weather disasters.

City Hall and other city departments will conduct their own safety drills Thursday, running building-specific reviews and activating the floor warden system to coordinate evacuations and headcounts.

“Preparedness starts at home, and for us at the City of Pasadena, that starts with our employees,” said Procopio. “This is an opportunity to bring safety back to the forefront, review disaster plans, and make sure exit routes are clear and understood.”

First held regionally in 2008, the ShakeOut began as a collaboration between local agencies and Caltech, using a magnitude 7.8 earthquake scenario to model impacts and responses.

The Great ShakeOut is about repetition and building confidence, Procopio said. Residents should refresh communication plans, check emergency kits, and practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.”

“It’s been a long while since we’ve had one in the City of Pasadena,” she said. “But that’s exactly why we plan—preparedness is about muscle memory.”

Procopio’s message to Pasadenans is clear: start now. “The ShakeOut is a reminder,” she said. “Review your plan at work and home, know your exits, and make sure your family knows what to do. That’s how we build resilience, one household and one workplace at a time.”

The Great California ShakeOut will take place Thursday, October 16, at 10:16 a.m. It is coordinated locally by Pasadena Emergency Services Manager Procopio.

For more information, visit www.shakeout.org or call (626) 744-6900, email emergencymgmt@cityofpasadena.net, or visit www.cityofpasadena.net/disasterpreparedness.