Hi All,

Well, I spent two hours tonight with a feature reporter giving her my story about earthquake preparedness, the potential for a quake on the Rodgers Creek Fault and a dozen and one other topics, including why we don't have public earthquake prediction.

It will be published on August 1st. I can't wait to see what she'll make of all of her notes. It should be interesting.

While the story is about me and my fascination with the earthquake process, it places hope for me that many people who live here will take some time to read our web site and learn how to get ready for an event that is certain at an unknown future date. I hope the gift of safety will keep all of them well for all time, for every future earthquake wherever they live.

Don's working at his end on the Hollister news and also trying to get us some radio time. So if you haven't harped on your neighbors and friends enough, don't forget to remind them again. Out reach isn't outreach until you go out and reach the public. You can't wait for them to ask, because they will tell you they are to busy and most of them are in one way or another.

If you talk to them, say one thing. "If you had to stand in line for more than an hour for one gallon of water from a truck, do you think you can invest two minutes to rinse out a plastic milk carton to refill it with water?" It paints a very vivid picture of what life after an earthquake can be like. It surely isn't rosey.

While earthquake prediction is still some ways into the future, to me closer than some think, there will never, ever come a time when preparedness will not be necessary.

There is every reason to hope, just one more person might do something to get ready....Petra

• The Seismic Safety Zone