This is one in a weeklong series of stories on KPCC leading up to Friday's 20th anniversary of the devastating 1994 Northridge Earthquake. The series will take a look at the quake's history, its effects and its legacy on the people of Southern California. You can view more stories on our Northridge Anniversary page. Let us know what you think on our Facebook page, on and in the comments below.
The Northridge earthquake 20 years ago has taught us that buildings that have been seismically retrofitted save lives.
The quake caused $20 billion in destruction, much of it to buildings, and 125,000 people were rendered at least temporarily homeless in part because of damaged homes. It was immediately apparent that buildings that were retrofitted withstood the quake much better than those that weren't.
RELATED: The Northridge Earthquake 20 years later
Since the quake, cities including Los Angeles have encouraged homeowners to voluntarily retrofit their residences, and it's been estimated that one in 10 homes in Los Angeles county need the procedure.
How could homeowners find a trustworthy retrofitting contractor? What are the costs? Should all homeowners have their homes inspected?
Guests:
Sanden Totten, KPCC’s Science Reporter
Dave Tourjé, President of Alpha Structural, Inc., an earthquake retrofitting and foundation repair contractor based in Eagle Rock
