LOS ANGELES, CA — Although California residents are aware of the recent major earthquakes around the world, many people have not taken the necessary steps to safeguard their homes and protect their personal finances. To address this issue, six organizations are encouraging consumers to become advocates for earthquake preparedness and safety.

In a press conference held on May 27 at the American Red Cross Koreatown-Wilshire District Office, the chair of the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles joined corporate leaders from Southern California Edison, Farmers Insurance, Southern California Gas Company, Walmart and Wells Fargo to highlight ways in which consumers can take a more active role in protecting themselves and their loved ones.

“We want everyone to have a plan of action before an actual earthquake takes place,” said Jeff Sakaguchi, chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles. “With the help of our corporate partners, we hope to make people understand the effects of earthquakes and natural and man-made disasters, and help them find credible and appropriate solutions to staying safe.”

Among the topics that were covered during the Earthquake Preparedness Briefing were guidelines to help protect people from potential earthquake catastrophes by knowing what to do when the shaking begins. Several suggestions offered to consumers were:

* DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! Drop to the ground, take cover under a desk or table, or cover your head with your arms and hold on until the shaking stops. Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit. Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.

* If you are in bed, stay there, cover your head with a pillow and hold on until the shaking stops.

* If you are outdoors, drop to the ground in a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines.

* If you are in a car, pull over to a clear place, stop the car and cover your head until the shaking stops.

“Knowing what to do before, during and after an earthquake can increase residents’ chances of survival if the “Big One” hits here. Get a Kit, Make a plan, and Be informed,” said Sakaguchi.

Southern California Edison points out that electric safety is critical in the first few days after an earthquake or other natural disaster. The electrical infrastructure could be severely damaged and unsafe situations may exist. The company has posted specific emergency safety information on its Web site, www.sce.com.

“It is especially important to stay calm in the event of a power outage due to an earthquake,” said Charles Basham, manager of public safety at Southern California Edison. “As earthquakes are unpredictable, SCE is reminding customers about how to stay safe and be prepared for extended electrical outages.”

Among the safety tips offered by SCE are:
* When a major earthquake affects the greater Southern California area, families must be prepared to live without utility services – electricity, gas, water, communications – for up to 7 days.

* Never go near fallen wires and keep others far away. You must presume that all fallen wires are electrical, even if they lay quietly on the ground or are covered with insulation.

* To report a downed wire, call 911 and let them know it’s an electrical emergency.

* Only a utility employee is qualified to determine if fallen wires and damaged electrical equipment are de-energized and safe to go near.

Farmers Insurance also provided helpful tips for homeowners on what to do to prepare for an earthquake. These tips include:
* Secure your water heater

* Secure bookcases and any shelving to the walls

* Be sure not to hang breakable or very heavy items near beds and couches

* Make sure your home is securely anchored to its foundation

* Prepare an escape plan for you and your family

“As the largest insurer of homes and automobiles whose headquarters is in California, you can be assured that Farmers knows about earthquakes” said Daniel Chang, director of multicultural marketing at Farmers Insurance. “One of the most important things we understand is the need to be prepared now, before an earthquake occurs.

Safety concerns were also discussed by Southern California Gas Company. At the briefing, SCGC discussed the proper use of gas before, during and after an earthquake.

“Southern California Gas Company is committed to providing consumers with safety tips to combat any possible scenario where a gas leak might occur,” said David McCarthy, field services staff manager at Southern California Gas Company. “It is important if you smell a natural gas order, to not panic, do not light a match, candle, or cigarette, and to not turn electrical appliances on or off.”

SoCal Gas offered the following tips at the briefing on how to shut off natural gas meters after an earthquake:
* Turn off the gas meter ONLY if you smell gas or hear the hissing sound of gas escaping.

* As you face the meter, you will see a pipe running from the ground to the meter. There is a shut off valve running parallel with the pipe usually located about 6 to 8 inches above the ground

* Use a 10 “or 12” adjustable wrench to turn the valve 1/4 turn in either direction, until the valve is crosswise to the pipe

As one of the leading retailers, Walmart is continually helping disaster victims all over the world with their charitable contributions to the American Red Cross. Recently, in response to the tragic earthquake in

Chile, Walmart announced an initial commitment of $1 million to go toward emergency relief efforts throughout the country.

“While our charitable commitments are important in the aid of so many disaster victims in the world, we hope that those who have not been affected can prepare ahead of time,” said Juliette Nam, Markets 463 & 466 Market Human Resources Manager at Walmart. “Careful preparation is your best defense against an earthquake. By familiarizing yourself with important and essential supplies now, you will be less likely to be unpleasantly surprised later when an earthquake happens.”

Walmart is selling an assortment of supplies for earthquake preparedness, and would like consumers to be aware of important essentials to have during an emergency:

* With no electricity during a disaster, you will need batteries. Keep at least enough batteries for a flashlight and a portable radio at hand because it may be your only contact with the outside world for news and information.

* Canned food and bottled water are basic supplies you will need as well. It is important to have bottled water because damaged water lines may result in contaminated water or no water at all. Canned food is important to have during an emergency because it generally has a long shelf life, and food in the refrigerator may spoil.

* If you are ever in a dangerous emergency like an earthquake, having a first aid kit should also be on the top of your list of supplies. Family member may not be able to get in to a safe area before something unexpectedly falls or hurts them. A kit will be valuable to have for cuts and bruises.

Small business owners need to be vigilant about protecting information.  Wells Fargo offered their credible solutions on how to better prepare small businesses and banking customers before and during a disaster. 

“As we all have seen, both natural and man-made disasters can wreak havoc on our lives, especially if you are a business owner or home owner,” said Mitesh Patel, Wells Fargo Los Angeles Metro Community Bank vice president.  “Preparing for a disaster is a good investment in both time and resources.”

At the briefing, Wells Fargo discussed ways to prepare essential documents and secure your identity, if documents were damaged, or even destroyed:
* Safeguard and organize copies of important documents. With Wells Fargo vSafe, customers can protect and easily access electronic copies of financial, legal and personal files, such as deeds, wills, passports, medical records, loan, insurance and tax documents, photographs and more, in a safe online location.  For many customers, this is a free service.

* Small businesses should be vigilant to take steps to separate accounting responsibilities, making payables and receivables processing different work positions; protect all accounting documents by locking away check stock, signature equipment, invoices and critical account information; and monitor the movement of employees, vendors and contractors in and out of your offices.

* Be careful what you share: Unless you initiated the interaction, do not provide sensitive financial information over the Internet or phone, including Social Security numbers, passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs) or account numbers. If the call back number seems suspicious, confirm the phone number from a legitimate source from the organization, such as the back of a credit card or from the company’s web site. 

Wells Fargo maintains multiple layers of security to protect customers, their accounts and their information. Wells Fargo’s layered approach to online security extends beyond a unique username and password, 128-bit encryption for online banking, bill pay, a powerful firewall, technology updates, and continuous surveillance. Wells Fargo uses a combination of front-end and back-end controls (https://www.wellsfargo.com/privacy_security/online/protect), and continuously evolves its security activities in response to the changing environment as well as customer needs.