Hi Todd and Don,

I don't think people are living in denial, I think they are just busy and have other higher priorities. Most Americans sit in front of the TV at night because they are tired from working. They don't take time to read much anymore, so TV is the best possible place to teach them. Preparedness is really more mental, than building earthquake kits. You just don't know where you're going to be when an earthquake happens, you need a little advice.

30 seconds doesn't sound very long, but if you've ever stood in front of a microwave oven waiting for something, 30 seconds is a long time. Imagine putting a cup of water in there for 30 seconds, and standing in front of it thinking if an earthquake lasted that long how you would feel. You'd be saying, gosh, this is going and going and going.

Loma Prieta only lasted 15 seconds and I remember all of them. Today, I want people to remember when they are someplace what to do when an earthquake visits. Somehow, I think most people think its going to happen when they are home, but today, most people work and they are there longer than they are at home on workdays.

Petra