(a) Concurrently with the development of the Parkfield prototype earthquake prediction system, the Office of Emergency Services, in consultation with the California Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council, shall develop a comprehensive emergency response plan for short-term earthquake predictions. The plan shall include all of the following:

(1) A method of peer review involving the California Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council to evaluate the validity of short-term earthquake predictions and to develop guidelines for initiating state action in response to anomalous geochemical and geophysical phenomena.

Terms Used In California Public Resources Code 2803

  • Parkfield prototype earthquake prediction system: means a dense cluster of instruments along the Parkfield section of the San Andreas fault which monitors earthquake activity, local distortion of the Earth's crust, strain levels, creep adjustments along the fault, and other phenomena which may be useful in making a short-term earthquake prediction. See California Public Resources Code 2801

(2) A means of rapidly activating governmental response to a predicted event.

(3) Plans for mitigating earthquake losses to vulnerable populations, including, but not limited to, drawdown of impoundment levels behind dams, positioning of emergency equipment in safe areas, and mobilization of firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, and medical personnel.

(4) A public warning system.

(5) Strategies for dealing with earthquake predictions that fail to occur (false alarms) and the failure of an earthquake prediction system to forecast a damaging event.

(b) The Office of Emergency Services shall consult with the department, the Seismic Safety Commission, the United States Geological Survey, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the development of the plan.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 475. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)

  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 10 Contents