Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office couldn’t have picked a more appropriate day on which to announce the launch of California’s first-in-the-nation early earthquake alert system: October 17, exactly 30 years to the day from the devastating 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The early-warning app, called MyShake, will identify a major earthquake and send out a text message to anyone within the affected area as much as 20 seconds before it hits. (Learn more at

The system, developed in a partnership among the state, UC Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology and the U.S. Geological Survey, has already been in beta testing for some time — developers were able to generate advance warnings for the 2014 Napa earthquake, for example.

Twenty seconds may not seem like a lot as far as advanced warning goes, but similar early earthquake alert systems have saved lives in the countries fortunate enough to have them, including Mexico and Japan.

Seconds can be enough time to stop medical operations and other sensitive procedures, shut off gas lines, and move children to safety. Individuals who download California’s app will have enough time to improve their own safety — whether that’s a chance to cover themselves, move away from glass windows, or get out of buildings that haven’t been seismically retrofitted.

Many questions remain. Should the alerts be louder or more frequent depending on the magnitude of an incoming earthquake? How can warnings be expanded to Californians who don’t own cell phones, or who tend to use them infrequently? Right now, the system will give more notice to people who are further from the quake’s epicenter — how can it be improved for those who are close by?

Still, the system represents a step forward on earthquake readiness that’s both sorely needed and long overdue. We urge Californians to add this important tool to their disaster preparedness plans.
