SANTA CRUZ >> At 5:04 p.m. on Oct. 17, 1989, the 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake shook Santa Cruz County and those around it from its epicenter beneath the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park forever changing the county.

An aftershock with a 5.2 magnitude soon followed the initial quake and more aftershocks were felt throughout the night and in the following weeks. The infamous 1989 disaster took the lives of six Santa Cruz County residents, and injured hundreds more. Hundreds of homes and businesses across the county were destroyed and thousands were damaged.If a similar devastating event were to occur today, earthquake or otherwise, the best way to prepare is to have a plan in place and stay updated through warning services such as ShakeAlert and the Santa Cruz County-focused CruzAware, according to city of Santa Cruz Operations of Emergency Services Manager Meredith Albert.

“For efficiency in emergency management we try to focus on all-hazards preparedness,” said Albert. “We have an emergency and non-emergency alert warning system for the residents of Santa Cruz County that you need to opt into. It’s a relatively new system and I’d really like to see more people sign up to receive alerts.”

In addition to signing up for CruzAware, Albert said to make sure all furniture and heavy appliances are secured in the home, and to have a family or personal communication plan in place just in case. She said that individuals and families should have an assembled emergency supplies kit on hand with things such as water, food and flashlights, among other essential items.

Although an evacuation is unlikely to occur during or following an earthquake, Albert said that it’s still useful to know the best route out of the city before a disaster strikes. And if the ground starts shaking and a powerful earthquake seems imminent, Albert said the first step is to “drop, cover and hold.”

“Seek shelter, hold on and understand that there are likely to be aftershocks,” said Albert. “And try to stay in communication with your neighbors and family.”

Albert mentioned that there have been changes in emergency management and preparedness since 1989, and the city would initially respond by opening the emergency operations center located in the DeLaveaga Golf Course.

“In any event that outstrips the city resources that represents a catastrophic disruption of governance, we would activate our emergency operations center to coordinate resource sharing and information sharing both within the city and with external partner agencies — different government agencies and community groups,” said Albert.

Albert mentioned that the city government stays prepared for disasters through planning efforts and by constantly updating its existing plans, such as the emergency operations plan and the local hazard mitigation plan, ensuring buildings and structures are retrofitted to withstand an earthquake, as well as communicating with the public.

“Resilience emergency preparedness is really a shared responsibility,” said Albert. “It’s a collaboration between the government and people and requires us all to get engaged.”

To sign up for CruzAware, visit santacruzca.gov.