Picture windows of opportunity

We hate to say that we need a moderate earthquake every once in a while, but experience shows that it surely helps to sell all kinds of seismic safety programs

• It took the 933 Long Beach earthquake to get the Field Act passed in California requiring the strengthening of our public schools.
• It took the 197 San Fernando earthquake for Los Angeles to enact a retrofit ordinance requiring reinforcement of demolition of our 8,000 unreinforced masonry buildings, and the 1985 Mexico City earthquake to shorten its compliance period. 
• It took the 1983 Coalinga earthquake to get the State of California to require the identification of unreinforced masonry buildings in risk areas throughout the state.