Picture windows of opportunity

Abstract

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.