Dr. Lucy Jones led an engaging workshop on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 with attendees from across LA County, including local chambers of commerce and other business organizations, along with experts from LA City, LA County, and the State of California to better prepare our business communities for the next big seismic event. We walked through the impacts a big earthquake along the Newport-Inglewood fault could have on our power and water supply, emergency services, and how to mitigate the risks within our own communities.
The workshop helped participants identify who they need to get in touch with to create a network before the next emergency, starting with the other attendees at the event. In the event of a big earthquake, the single thing that will be the most helpful to get through it is having a strong community there beside you.
For those of you at home, here’s one thing you can do now: start a text chain with the most important people in your network so that it will be ready and available in case of emergency.
Special thanks to Wells Fargo for making the day possible, to speaker Leslie Luke from the LA County Office of Emergency Management, and to our panelists Abby Browning from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Julie Clowes from the Small Business Administration, and Carol Parks from the LA City Emergency Management Department.
The Great ShakeOut earthquake drill on October 17 reminds Californians to prepare for the next major quake. While concerns often focus on physical injuries and damage, seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones highlights a critical issue: the potential loss of water supply. With aqueducts crossing the San Andreas fault, a major quake could leave Southern California without external water for a minimum of six months, leading to widespread challenges such as business disruptions, and daily life operations. Dr. Jones sat down with ABC7 Eyewitness News Reporter Marc Cota-Robles as she urges residents to store extra water in preparation.
On August 5, 2022, Dr. Lucy Jones – in partnership with the North Valley Community Foundation – will launch a program to support communities across California to increase their resilience in the face of the Golden State’s most pressing natural disaster: wildfires. Addressing the imminent threat of fire and the devastating losses to our cities, suburban areas, and natural environment, her “Recovery to Resilience” initiative provides tools and tactics to help local community and civic leaders prepare for these destructive events. These approaches will help make sure the communities that define California are not lost in the next wildfire. This program is a partnership between the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society and the North Valley Community Foundation, in collaboration with Wells Fargo.
As Dr. Jones says, “As the threat from wildfires increases with the changing climate, we know that someday, there will be a fire large enough to sweep through the flats of the San Gabriel Valley or the East [San Francisco] Bay – this work helps all Californians identify the next steps they can take to recover faster when disaster strikes.”
“North Valley Community Foundation unfortunately has extensive experience in providing philanthropic support to communities in Northern California that have been impacted by wildfires,” said Alexa Benson-Valavanis, NVCF president and CEO. “Our communities continue to learn how to build the resilience needed to adapt to these growing crises. We are excited to continue to learn from our leading scientists and how our joint efforts build more resilient communities across California.”
Research shows that resilience building starts with the tight connections among individuals, and this applies to the business community as well. Dr. Jones shared that “those that come back faster – recover faster – are those with the strongest bonds to each other and with a pride in place. Without those characteristics, it is a longer road to try to come back. And coming back better is the goal.”
Known for her work in earthquake science, Dr. Jones has spent the last 15 years working with other natural hazards, focusing on the use of science to help save lives and property. August 5th’s program launches with experts and leaders from around the State and across the country coming together to help define the specific actions communities need to take to support businesses districts and small business owners with research-based tactics that can be employed by the government to strengthen the sense of community around them. Dr. Jones founded the Dr. Lucy Jones Center to do this work.
The Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society has had an active 2019 full of compelling and encouraging progress on resilience building and risk reduction. The following report is a summary of this past year’s work and provides insight on the Jones Center’s efforts regarding its four focus areas of promoting science in action, exchanging knowledge, training decision makers, and applying research. As we enter the new year, the Jones Center will continue existing programs while embracing new opportunities.
Download and read the 2019 Progress Report here
The Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society has had a busy 2018 full of exciting and encouraging progress on resilience building and risk reduction. The following report is a summary of this past year’s work and provides insight on the Jones Center’s efforts regarding its four focus areas of promoting science in action, exchanging knowledge, training decision makers, and applying research. As we enter the new year, the Jones Center will continue existing programs while embracing new opportunities.
Download and read the 2018 Progress Report here.
