BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Two earthquakes struck Kern County within 36 hours, renewing urgent calls for residents to review their emergency preparedness plans.
One earthquake rattled Frazier Park Sunday morning, followed by another near Johannesburg Monday morning. The recent shaking also comes after a new study found stress along the southern San Andreas Fault is at its highest level in about a thousand years.
Russ Huge, a volunteer with the American Red Cross Kern County Chapter, said many people remain underprepared.
"I think the biggest mistake is people just aren't ready for it; they don't believe it's going to happen."
Huge said every household should have emergency supplies ready, including food, water, and medications. He also recommends looking around your home for anything that could fall during strong shaking.
"I look for loose things. Particularly, don't hang a picture over your bed because that could easily fall down and hit you."
Huge said another often-overlooked item to keep in a go bag is a whistle.
"And if you happen to be in a building and you're trapped in a building, this is a great way to let people know you're there and you're breathing because you can still blow on the whistle."
When the ground starts shaking, experts say not to run. Instead, drop, cover and hold on, because trying to move around can increase your risk of getting hurt.
"A lot of injuries from earthquakes are sprains and strains and cuts from broken glass; people are running around, and they get hurt."
The Red Cross also recommends downloading the free MyShake app for earthquake alerts and making a family emergency plan before the next quake strikes. The app is available at earthquake.ca.gov.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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