logo image

Insurance Solutions

Formerly Moody’s RMS

The 25th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake provides an opportunity to remember and reflect about what we lost. It also offers an opportunity to think about how we can better plan and prepare for an inevitable earthquake on the Bay Area’s precarious fault lines.

While we can’t accurately predict when an earthquake will strike, we can say there’s more at risk here then there was in 25 years ago; the Bay Area’s population has grown 25 percent and the value of residential property is now $1.2 trillion. A worst-case, magnitude 7.9 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault could strike an urban center with 32 times the destructive force of Loma Prieta, potentially causing commercial and residential property losses over $200 billion.

As part of our activities around the Loma Prieta anniversary, we gathered experts at a roundtable to discuss how to improve resilience in the Bay Area. Here are some of their lessons and observations:

Patrick Otellini, Chief Resilience Officer, San Francisco Think about people when crafting public policy:

Preparing for an earthquake is an enormous task. San Francisco is working to retrofit 4,800 buildings during the next seven years. You have to get the right people at the table when crafting policy changes and understand how citizens will be affected. There needs to be a dual focus: protect the public interest while building consensus on changes that protect safety and health.

Dr. Patricia Grossi, Earthquake expert and senior director of product model management, RMS
Don’t short change risk modeling:

Risk modeling helps us assess how we are planning for the next big event, highlights uncertainties and leads to thorough preparation. But any analysis shouldn’t just consider dollar signs; it should analyze the worst-case scenario and what an earthquake would do to our lives in the immediate days and weeks after.

Kristina Freas, Director of Emergency Preparedness, Dignity Health Retrofit hospitals and prepare to help the most vulnerable:

Hospitals are little cities. The same issues with supplies and logistics affecting metropolitan areas in a disaster would affect hospitals. Hospitals need to have plans to mitigate damages from water and power loss and protect patients.

Danielle Hutchings Mieler, Resilience Program Coordinator for the Association of Bay Area Governments
Bridge the private and public gap in infrastructure repair:

There’s been progress in retrofitting public buildings. But many private facilities – homes, businesses and private schools – are vulnerable. This is problematic because the Bay Area is growing in areas like the shoreline, which are close to fault lines and at greater risk. Work is needed to ensure that all types of buildings – both private and public – are well prepared and sturdy.

Lewis Knight, planning and urban design practice leader, Gensler
Think different about infrastructure and retrofitting:

Many engineering firms report to Wall Street and big infrastructure. They aren’t truly considering changes that need to be made to protect communities affected by both earthquake risk and climate change. There needs to be frank discussions about how infrastructure can be part of a defense against natural disasters.

What else is crucial to consider when thinking about the next earthquake?

LomaPrieta infographic

Share:
You May Also Like
February 11, 2016
RMS.com’s New Look

As you may have noticed, RMS.com has a new look and new features. The new site is aimed at delivering the full range of information you need – everything from our products and services, to the latest research and perspectives on industry hot topics, to recent goings-on at RMS. A few things we hope you’ll get from the new RMS.com: A better understanding of our products and services The new RMS.com is designed with you in mind. It features a clearer articulation of RMS products, including models and data by peril, as well as a more robust showcase of our technology and services. Each page includes timely resources such as blog posts, product announcements, and reports, to keep you updated on the most relevant topics. More ways to continue the conversation See something that sparks your imagination? Have questions about one of our products? Our new site makes it easier to contact us and share your views. We hope you find the content to be a compelling catalyst for ongoing conversations about how we can help your business, and drive the industry forward together. A clear, concise view from anywhere The clean design and streamlined text helps you quickly access the information you need from any device. The responsive design delivers a seamless experience whether you’re viewing on your desktop, tablet, or mobile phone. The new RMS.com also complements our client portal, RMS Owl, which provides critical business information and services, from product datasheets to customer support, and more. This is a new beginning: We will continually add content and new functionality as we anticipate your evolving needs. We hope you’ll visit and cruise around the new site and let us know what you think!…

rms florida climatechange poster
April 29, 2015
Water, Water Everywhere: The Effect of Climate Change on Florida
Cynthia Horiguchi
Cynthia Horiguchi
Senior Marketing Manager, RMS

Cynthia is responsible for content creation and marketing program management as a member of RMS' corporate marketing team. She focuses on creating content to help customers at each stage of the buying cycle, as well as developing marketing programs to highlight innovation at RMS – such as social innovation that helps create a safer and more resilient society. She is based in RMS' Silicon Valley headquarters and has degrees in public relations and political science from the University of Southern California.

cta image

Need Help Managing Your Portfolio?

close button
Overlay Image
Video Title

Thank You

You’ll be contacted by an Moody's RMS specialist shortly.