LA braces for the Big One with mega-earthquake simulator

Los Angeles got a shaky reminder of what the next big earthquake could feel like.

The Big Shaker earthquake simulator rolled into Grand Park Tuesday, Sept. 29, giving participants a chance to experience shaking designed to simulate a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.

For Christin Doyle, the experience was far more intense than the earthquakes she has felt during nearly 15 years in California.

“It was pretty unsettling. It was a lot rougher shaking than I expected,” Doyle said. “The few that I felt here in almost 15 years have been more like gentle and rolling. That was not that.”

Inside the simulator, participants practiced the familiar “drop, cover and hold on” technique as the room shook around them.

Trevyn Reese, vice president of emergency preparedness company Ready America, said the simulator is designed to resemble a home and demonstrate how everyday objects can become hazards during a major earthquake.

Reese encouraged families to conduct a “hazard hunt” at home, looking for unsecured top-heavy furniture, televisions, glass and other breakable objects that could fall or become projectiles during strong shaking.

He also warned against the long-held idea of standing in a doorway during an earthquake.

“Common misconception,” Reese said. “If that door slams and you’re holding on to the frame, you might have just broke your hand.”

The demonstration appeared to have its intended effect on Doyle.

“I think I’m going to go back and look at my kit again and make sure that everything I have is still viable,” she said, adding that some of the emergency food she previously bought has probably expired.

The simulator was presented by Ready America as part of an earthquake preparedness event at Grand Park.

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