On August 24 at 3:20 a.m., the 2014 Napa earthquake shook residents from their beds.  The quake measured 6.0 — the largest in the San Francisco Bay Area since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Significant damage and several fires were reported in the southern Napa Valley area, and there was also damage in the nearby city of Vallejo, in Solano County.

The quake killed one person, injured about 200, and interrupted power to more than 69,000 customers. President Obama declared the quake a major federal disaster. Early estimates indicated that it caused more $400 million in damage, of which $87 million may be eligible for federal reimbursement.

These are the facts, the statistics, but on a recent visit to Solano and Napa, CSAC staff talked to county officials, first responders and county residents. What we saw and heard reminded us of what really matters – the people. Every person we talked to, no matter his or her position in the county, was “shaken,” for lack of a better word by the event. Thankfully, most people were in bed and therefore not injured. Once the shaking stopped, everyone had to check on loved ones. Several people described rushing to the other side of town to assure the safety of an elderly parent; others had to reassure children and even comfort a beloved pet.

Next, everyone had to survey the damage.  We heard about everything from a few plates broken to severe damage to chimneys, cracked foundations, and major property damage. But county employees are not like your average citizens; many of them had to turn and leave their loved ones, no matter how significant the damage and danger — and GO TO WORK. 

We talked to a law enforcement officer on the day of the opening of the Local Assistance Center.  His story was compelling in so many ways. He was on the front lines in responding to the crisis, despite the fact that his home was severely damaged. He was standing in line at the Local Assistance Center, hoping to get help with inspections so that he could qualify for insurance reimbursement. But what he said about his community and the actions of county officials was most inspiring. He said he was proud to live in a place where people and government worked so well together to help their neighbors, friends and residents.

Many county employees were summoned to work early that morning, and did not have a day off for the first two weeks after the quake struck. No one complained.  They talked about the upbeat spirit of their coworkers and the comradery in the time of crisis. Everyone we met agreed that it was good to have an emergency plan, but the people who act on the plan are what really matters.

For more in-depth information about the county response watch the CSAC Earthquake video series at this link.