California received what Governor Gavin Newsom termed “a wake-up call” in the form of two major earthquakes in the Ridgecrest area. The double blow of a 6.4 quake followed by a 7.1 temblor, plus thousands of smaller quakes, the likes of which had not been felt by Californians in decades. This timely paper presents important information from many sources to demonstrate that earthquake-resistant buildings are a sound economic investment for business and government entities, particularly those that serve or employ large numbers of people or house vulnerable populations.

Building damage is the primary cause of death, injury, and property loss suffered from earthquakes. Many building codes considered safe 25 years ago have now been proven to be ineffective in guarding against the violent ground movement experienced in a major quake. Scientists and engineers have pinpointed five main building types that present a particular risk to building owners, tenants, and the communities served by those structures. Several independent studies show the money spent to retrofit existing building stock has significant benefits. These include lower building repair and replacement costs, the continuation of building function that reduces business interruption, preservation of revenue streams, and, most importantly, improved life safety. The reality is that Californians cannot hide from the type of major earthquakes projected by seismic experts. But we can and should take steps now in order to be as prepared as possible to survive the next major quake and preserve our quality of life in the Golden State.