36th Anniversary of Sylmar Quake
It was 36 years ago today that a 6.6 quake awoke the San Fernando Valley at 6:00 a.m. Though its often referred to as the Sylmar or San Fernando Quake, the actual epicenter of the quake was on the other side of the hill in a far less populated Santa Clarita (it wasn't even called Santa Clarita back then).65 people lost their lives and the quake caused nearly a half billion dollars in damage.
(Photo of the real Mayor Sam with now Hollywood Mayor and then Fire Commissioner Johnny Grant.)
This old, dead Republican mayor was all of about 6-1/2 years old at the time. I still remember it all quite vividly waking up to see my father had not left for work yet, getting the day off school, going with my mom to the Dale's Market on Oxnard and Vineland to buy bottled water, the great reporting by KGIL, and David Horowitz (the consumer reporter not the conservative commentator) anchoring the news from the Channel 4 parking lot (as far as I know he did not jump under any desks on air).
Perhaps some of you would like to share your memories if you were in LA at the time.
Here are some links you might interesting:
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 2/09/2007 12:01:00 AM
7 Comments:
Mayor Sam,
I remember my mom taking me outside the house after the shaking. Later I remember going out with my former foster parents to the sight of the Olive View Hospital and V.A. complex. Seeing how the stairwell detached from the main building and the crushed ambulances was both scary but at the same time planted a seed of interest in the field of geology.
"RED SPOT OF REASON IN CD 14"
We would often go out to Santa Clarita (called Newhall or Saugus back then) to go camping, motorcycle riding, to Magic Mountain or Saugus Speedway.
I remember for the few years after the quake the broken overpasses and closed exits. They put green bars over the names of the closed exits on the mileposts and I guess I told my parents the names of those streets was "green nowheres."
If you ever get a chance to hear the KGIL coverage its really interesting. The Valley College library had a copy of a compliation of the days coverage that was put together by Bill Smith (yup the same guy on Channel 5, he was a newsman and morning host at KGIL back in the 70s). I was not able to find it on the web.
By the way, KGIL was a great station for the valley. Its too bad we no longer have a local radio station.
Since the Long Beach Quake in 1933, there has been a major quake in or around LA about every 20 years. I guess that puts us about 7 years out from the next one.
The good thing however is that I believe - despite our Clowncil and other messed up areas of local government - is that Los Angeles and Southern California has the finest emergency preparedness and response capabilities of anywhere in the world.
Mayor Sam,
you were lucky that day in regards to the Van Norman Dam not collasping. A few more seconds and maybe their is no "MAYOR SAM" blog.
"RED SOT OF REASON IN CD 14"
Red Spot,
I remember my mom starting to pack our stuff because of reports of an evacuation. I think we lived far enough away that it wouldn't have affected us (the dam breaking) but it never happened so we will not know.
I do remember that people were pretty hysterical about getting the bottled water at Dales. They were out of it and people gathered for a waiting shipment. A kid came in with several boxes on a dolly and their nearly attacked him, pulling the bottles out and throwing the empty cases behind them (one of them almost hit me). And when I say bottled water this was not Perrier or Crystal Geyser or Aquafina, back then the bottled water was just purified water from Sparkletts or Arrowhead that came in one gallon jugs.
One thing for sure, the Valley has changed a lot since then.
RECALL JUDGE GIBSON LEE!!
L.A. COUNTY RESIDENTS...JOIN THE MOVE TO RECALL THIS JUDGE WHO GAVE NON-SENTENCES TO VICIOUS SAVAGES INVOLVED IN THE LONG BEACH HALLOWEEN BEATINGS!
http://www.recalljudgelee.com/
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Talk about an earthquake!!! What's with the firing of Kr. KABC? Are they nuts? The station is strill running one of his commercials touting a home loan company. He will be missed! A loyal fan...whre is the six line tribute when we need it?
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