L.A. Councilman Greig Smith to Host L.A. International Earthquake Conference, With Earthquake Experts From Around the World
Los Angeles – Councilman Greig Smith will host the Los Angeles International Earthquake Conference Nov. 12 to 14, 2008 at the Omni Hotel in Downtown L.A., with over 80 internationally recognized experts in seismic science and earthquake response.
The Conference is the first international earthquake conference held in Los Angeles in 20 years. It aims to create decisive legislative initiatives that conference participants can bring back to their home cities in order to be more prepared for major earthquakes. Seismic experts agree that the next major earthquake is coming – it is a question of when, not if.
Governments, academics, emergency responders, businesses and community members all need to take steps to prepare for the next major earthquake in order to minimize loss of life and damage to critical infrastructure.
The Conference will also serve as the headquarters of the Great Southern California ShakeOut, a weeklong series of demonstrations, forums, workshops, and field trips centering on earthquake preparedness and response. The L.A. International Earthquake Conference will be the nerve center during the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, the centerpiece of the ShakeOut.
More than 80 seismic experts and emergency preparedness and response experts from Colombia, Turkey, the Phllipines, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Germany and the United States are confirmed to speak at the three-day Conference.
NOTED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor, City of Los Angeles.
Dirk Kempthorne, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, which oversees the U.S. Geological Survey.
Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Seismological Laboratory of Caltech.
Rosario Marin, California Secretary of State and Consumer Services.
Dr. Chunfeng Hu, Deputy Director, Institute of Engineering Mechanics at China Earthquake Administration.
For a complete list of speakers and their bios, visit www.iec.lacity.org/html/bio/default.html
For more information on the Conference, visit www.IEC.lacity.org.
The Conference is presented in association with the Great Southern California ShakeOut and Earthquakes in MegaCities Initiative (EMI).
WHO: L.A. Councilman Greig Smith, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne, L.A. County Fire Chief Michael Freeman, Dr. Lucy Jones, earthquake experts from around the world.
WHAT: L.A. International Earthquake Conference
WHERE: Omni Hotel. 251 South Olive St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 12 to Friday, Nov. 14, 2008.
VISUALS: The largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, audiovisual simulations of major earthquakes, multiple headline speakers.
CONTACT: Matt Myerhoff, Communications Director, Councilman Smith // Cell (818) 613-2248 Matt.Myerhoff@lacity.org
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