Lessons from Napa quake recovery
While it was not the “Big One,” the 6.0 Napa earthquake that rumbled through the region at 3:21 a.m. Aug. 24 caused considerable damage in Napa and adjacent areas.
City Manager Mike Parness, the official in charge of recovery efforts, provided a recap of what worked, what didn’t, and key lessons learned - on Nov. 5 at the North Coast Builder’s Exchange fall membership luncheon in Santa Rosa.
The briefing was attended by 70 construction industry leaders, police and emergency services officers, public officials, insurance personnel and the heads of several business organizations eager to learn what should be done to prepare for the next one.
“This was the largest quake since Loma Prieta in 1989 with an epicenter located five miles south-southwest of the city on the west Napa fault at a depth seven miles beneath the Napa Valley Marina,” Mr. Parness said.
Business disruption
“We had a hotel evacuation plan, but no idea of what to do with people standing outside. Displaced hotel guests were taken first to fire stations and then transported by bus to safe areas. While we have good emergency preparedness plans in place, most of the problems occurred during recovery.”
Some 36 businesses had major quake damage and 210 suffered minor damage. Significant water damage was also caused by ruptured lines supplying chillers and sprinkler systems.
For retailers, recovery means getting back into operation as soon as possible. For example, while Napa’s restaurants were closed after the quake, all but six reopened within 48 hours.
“The northwest part of the city and the old town areas were the hardest hit. Luckily, the quake occurred in the early morning hours when most people were in bed. Twelve hours earlier, 10,000 people were dancing in downtown commercial district streets at a public event,” Mr. Parness said.
Residential damage
Immediately apparent were cracks in roads, the smell of natural gas from ruptured pipes, views of collapsed stone clad building exteriors, and scenes of houses that shifted two to three feet off foundations. A half dozen structure fires broke out, carports fell over and six mobile homes were lost as reported in the initial assessment.
Sixty-four homes suffered major damage and 1,417 were found to have minor damage. In the Browns Valley residential area, sidewalks “tented” and road fissures ran under houses concealing additional problems.
City support centers
Napa County Health & Human Services opened a Department Operations Center (DOC) around 5:00 a.m. An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was also open by 6 a.m. the same day, but had to be relocated due to building damage.
The Red Cross opened a shelter that served 5,379 meals and distributed 1,910 items -- such as water, comfort kits and cleanup supplies. They reached out to 1,335 residents, provided 412 overnight stays and mobilized 219 volunteers.
The Napa Local Assistance Center recorded 2,700 in-person visits, and the NapaQuakeInfo.com website received over 14,400 hits, while providing quake visibility around the globe.
Impact on the water supply
Some 177 water leaks were reported, and of these, 122 were repaired within the first five days. None of the main water lines broke, but about 600 customers were without water for an extended period.
Portions of the 100-year-old sewer system also sustained leaks, but treatment plants did not go off line.
A one million-gallon water tank in Browns Valley was severely damaged and could take up to a year and a half to replace.
“We did not turn the water pressure off because this helps prevent sewage and other contaminants from entering the pipes,” Mr. Parness explained.
Reported injuries
In all, 283 people were injured and 234 were taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center and other hospitals. Eighteen were admitted, four were in critical condition and one boy died from injuries received when a home fireplace collapsed.
Some 163 structures were red-tagged - not fit for occupancy - and 1,700 received yellow tags - repairs needed before habitable.
Total damage was estimated at $362.4 million. Of this amount, $80.3 million in damages were reported by the wine industry alone.
In the public sector, two post offices were damaged along with libraries and 14 county buildings and detention facilities. Four hundred public workers had to be relocated.
What worked
“City staff members reported for work without being called. Thankfully, mutual aid agreements were already in place and teams soon arrived from around the region,” Mr. Parness added.
Some 60 building/safety inspectors and engineers came to Napa to help with damage assessment on 24,000 structures.