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Feed your faith, not your fear. Create your preparedness plan today.
Worrying about a future catastrophic earthquake can feel incapacitating but we can disarm our fear by taking steps to prepare today. Many may not be aware of the recent LA Times article reporting a fault system, running nearly 70 miles along the coast of Los Angeles and Orange counties, has the potential to trigger a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. An earthquake of this magnitude is estimated to be 45 times stronger than the Northridge quake. This news article serves as a reminder of the importance of being prepared. 

Remember, uncertainty and fear of the unknown or the future are normal human emotions. Just opening the news on your phone or television can trigger a cascade of stressful thoughts as we wonder warily what is coming next. However, fear or worry can also serve a good purpose when we listen to it appropriately. The key to conquering this lies in awareness and preparation.

The inevitability of your success in a disaster or emergency is based not on luck or a universal fate but on your ability to act now. That is why this month and its Great California Shakeout event remind us to take crucial, practical steps today to prepare ourselves for tomorrow.

Life will always present us with new things to be afraid of. We have to stop giving fear control and instead believe in and take solace in our own power. Creating a preparedness plan and practicing this plan is not just lifesaving actions but creates a reservoir of faith, increases our coping ability, and allows us to tap into our own powerful resiliency. Your actions today will be your strength to face the unknowns of tomorrow.

May you take the action necessary today to prepare for tomorrow, stay safe. In safety and gratitude, Debra 
It’s time for the annual ShakeOut Day! Join the BRC team and over 8 million Californian registered participants in the 2022 Great California ShakeOut taking place on October 20th. While some areas of California are more likely to have earthquakes than others, all of California is at higher risk compared to the rest of the country.

Remember, you could be anywhere when an earthquake strikes.

Whether you are at home, at work, at school, place of worship, or even on vacation what we do now can determine our quality of life after our next big earthquake. And while October 20th is set aside for this year’s ShakeOut Day, you can always hold your ShakeOut drills when and where is most meaningful for you. In fact, BRC encourages you to practice on several days in different areas of your life – home, work, school, or places of worship.
The Great California ShakeOut is an annual opportunity to practice how to be safer during big earthquakes: "Drop, Cover and Hold On." The ShakeOut has been organized to encourage you, your community, your school, or your organization to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies, and to secure your space in order to prevent damage and injuries.

Don’t let your past experience with earthquakes may give you a false sense of safety! Perhaps you did nothing, ran outside, or stood in a doorway, and you survived with no injuries. Or perhaps you got under your desk, and others thought you overreacted. BRC encourages you to learn from expert guidance on how to immediately protect yourself!

Federal, State, and local emergency management experts and other official preparedness organizations agree that the actions described below will reduce injury and death during earthquakes by “Drop, Cover and Hold ON”.

Why Drop, Cover, and Hold On?

Official rescue teams, emergency preparedness experts, and others agree that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” is the best way, in most situations, to protect yourself during an earthquake's shaking as running outside, standing in a doorway, or the “triangle of life” are dangerous or outdated recommendations.

What NOT to do!

Many people still think “getting in a doorway” is safe, however, this advice is out-of-date and not recommended. Today we understand that doorways are not stronger than any other part of the house, do not provide protection from falling or flying objects, and will not be a safe space in the rare case of building collapse.
DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling or flying objects.
 

COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter. If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall. Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs.
 
HOLD ON until the shaking stops.
Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts. No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands.






If you use a cane: DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON or sit on a chair, bed, etc. and cover your head and neck with both hands. Keep your cane near you so it can be used when the shaking stops.





If you use a walker or wheelchair: LOCK your wheels (if applicable). If using a walker carefully get as low as possible. Bend over and COVER your head/neck with your arms, a book, or a pillow. Then HOLD ON until the shaking stops.

For other accessibility recommendations see EarthquakeCountry.org/accessibility.
Are You Prepared to Survive and Recover Quickly?

We are here to help!  BRC offers many resources on its website including videos. You can access them at any time and at no cost. Take me to BRC's website! 

BRC has also compiled a number of resources for you below as well as links to helpful printouts to help you prepare to “Drop, Cover and Hold On”!
 

BRC is Dedicated to Keeping Communities Healthy

Our Pastor’s COVID-19 Toolkit is available in both English and Spanish for FREE! This unique toolkit’s purpose is to help faith leaders discuss COVID-19 testing and the importance of vaccinations within the African American community. This helpful resource also serves as a repository for COVID-19 information and advisory updates.

We encourage you to take the time to gather the lifesaving tools and participate in the conversation in the fight against the devastating impact of this global pandemic. Now available in Spanish! Find COVID resources here. Download the Pastor's Toolkit here or Scan the QR code to get yours today! 
 
Pastor's Toolkit 2.0 QR Code
Building Resilient Communities is proud to announce that it has been awarded a special grant from the California Fire Foundation for preventing, preparing and/or responding to major events, including wildfires and other disasters.  Stay tuned for the launch of the "Stop the Burn" campaign.

California Fire Foundation’s mission is to provide emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters, and the communities they protect.  The Foundation’s grant funding aids recipients in helping their communities address issues that threaten millions of Californians each year. The Foundation has teamed up with funding partners across the state to help local fire departments, firefighter associations, fire-safe councils, and other community-based organizations through individual grants. BRC is the perfect partner in this lifesaving goal.

Words cannot express the depth of our gratitude for the California Fire Foundation’s investment and faith in BRC’s mission and partnership in building resilient communities.

More information is available at https://www.cafirefoundation.org/.
A heartfelt thank you to all who participated, supported, and sponsored this important event! 

Save the Date!
Ark of Safety Community Resiliency Summit 2.0       
Thursday, January 12, 2023!
We Cannot Thank
Our Generous Summit Partners Enough!
 
COVID-19 will remain with us for the foreseeable future. Vaccination is an important tool to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Get vaccinated – it’s safe, effective, and free.

Who can get vaccinated
Any Californian aged 6 months and older can get vaccinated, for free. Your immigration or insurance status does not matter. No one will ask about your immigration status when you get vaccinated.

For the most current COVID-19 information, resources, vaccination sites, and answers to questions about COVID-19 go here. Or, to learn about current COVID-19 Resources go to BRC's resource page here. 

Getting your COVID-19 Vaccine is as easy as 1-2-3!   
Check out this video from our recent vaccination event at The Life Church! 
Are you shopping on Amazon's Prime shopping event on October 11-12?  You should!

Whether shopping for home extras, fall decor, or preparing early for the holidays experience feel-good shopping and support BRC by using Amazon Smile! When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you will find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to BRC. Get shopping and make a difference today!
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Your Gift Makes Resilient Communities Possible

Our community has faced several crises, from wildfires to COVID-19. While we are actively preparing families and businesses to persevere in the face of disaster, we need your help to make our efforts go even further!

You can help us provide communities with personal protection equipment, training, and disaster preparedness resources. Your support is crucial to our efforts to create a resilient, self-sufficient community.

If you’re able, we’d love it if you could donate to help us achieve our mission.
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