Garcetti Calls for Seismic Retrofitting
LA mayor Eric Garcetti has proposed new guidelines to prepare buildings to survive an earthquake. The plan, Resilience by Design, would call for thousands of structures to be retrofitted, including many older buildings in LA. Eric suggests buildings with large first-floor open spaces be the first priority, as they can be weaker and cause the rest of a building to pancake in the event of a quake.
The mayor also wants to develop a seismic safety rating system that would focus on buildings remaining useful after an earthquake, and not just vertical. In addition, Eric wants to enhance the city's telecommunications systems, so an earthquake wouldn't disrupt phone or Internet service.