There's a 62 percent chance a major earthquake will rock the San Francisco Bay Area by 2032, but only 17 percent of the area's residents are prepared.
That's prompted a frustrated local Red Cross chapter to shake things up.
The San Francisco Bay Area of the Red Cross, has handed out empty water bottles emblazoned with: "Try living on this for three days." They've tooled around the Bay Area with rolling billboards revealing what San Francisco buildings would look like after a major quake and they've posted faux housing ads on craigslist.com for quake-damaged flats "available immediately."
Now they've gone and put a 60-foot crack in Union Square revealing earthquake-crushed cars in the parking garage below.
The crack isn't real -- this time.
A lengthy vinyl adhesive spread on the square is the canvas for trompe l'oeil-like artwork creating the optical illusion of a quake crack above mangled cars.
It's the Supercrack.
The quake preparedness campaign with a "What-Do-We-Have-To-Do To-Get-Your-Attention" theme is designed to be shocking if that's what it takes get the other 83 percent of residents in the quake-prone region prepared for what's inevitable.
Geologists say a magnitude 6.7 earthquake along the Hayward Fault in the East Bay could destroy as many as 400,000 homes, injure 63,000 people and kill 3,400 -- in 15 seconds.
Causing little damage a 4.2 magnitude earthquake centered east of Oakland shook the Bay Area early on July 20.
In addition to the shock treatment, the Red Cross' "Bay Area Prepare" program includes a three-pronged approach to preparedness.
1) Make a Plan. The Red Cross' brochure "Actions for Emergency Preparedness" is an action plan that helps households prepare for the worst.
The plan should include responsibilities for family members, places to meet in and outside the community and a family "call center person" well outside the community. It likely will be easier to contact someone by phone outside the disaster area if local lines are overloaded.
Instructions help you learn how to power down your home by turning off water, gas and electricity and gives you lessons in evacuating your home and sheltering-in-place.
2) Get An Emergency Kit. It's easier and hassle free to buy a kit ready to go than to try to assemble one. Red Cross Disaster Kits come in a variety of sizes from a one-person kit for $39 to 20-person kits for $269. They make great gifts.
The kit should include enough non-perishable food and water for three days as well as a host of other items.
3) Get informed and trained. Learn basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at Red Cross centers. During an earthquake drop, cover and hold on.
Review and practice.
Published: August 27, 2007
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 A journalist for 35-years, Broderick Perkins parlayed an old-school daily newspaper career into a digital news service offering editorial content and consulting services. Perkins' San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group includes the flagship news site, DeadlineNews.Com, offering real estate, personal finance and consumer journalism, and a backshop, the
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