There are tens of thousands of people in the United States who could
play an important voluntary role in reducing earthquake hazards and are
probably willing to do so. Under the Earthquake Hazard Reduction Act of
1977 the Federal government is significantly increasing its effort "to
reduce the risk of life and property from future earthquakes in the
United States through the establishment and maintenance of an effective
earthquake hazards reduction program." This program involves research,
for example, by geologists, seismologists, engineers, sociologists,
educators, and public policy experts sponsored primarily by the U.S.
Geological Survey and the National Science Foundation. There is a heavy
emphasis, however, on the implementation of these results in local
communities. When all the research results are available, the benefits
of these efforts will depend on whether individual citizens living in
earthquake zones accurately perceive the relative importance of
earthquake hazards. These individuals can then decide for themselves how
to modify their own lifestyles to minimize these hazards. Thus, one of
the seven objectives of this national program is "the education of the
public, including state and local officials, as to earthquake phenomena,
the identification of locations and structures which are especially
susceptible to earthquake damage, ways to reduce the adverse consequences
of an earthquake, and related matters."
