Earthquake Gas Valve Source, articles for Seismic Safety Automatic Gas Shut Off Valve,San Francisco, Bay Area

MARTINEZ NEWS-GAZETTE
Board of Supervisors Move to Prevent Earthquake Fires
Thursday, March 23, 2000, By Michael T. Moseley
NEWS-GAZETTE STAFF WRITER

"What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors' chairperson Donna Gerber read this George Elliot Quote before the March 21 meeting and then set out to "make it so."
After passing all but two of the consent items as amended by the Board; discussing pitch canker (a disease that plagues Northern California pine trees authorizing the hiring of 25 additional Sheriff officers to perform perimeter screening for the eight County Court buildings; voting to renew lease/option agreements for two Concord facilities; allocating a use for the Bureau of Justice Local Law Enforcement Block Grant; and arguing over whether or not the new policy for appointment procedures of the Board in making assignments of members to various other boards actually clarified the seemingly clear current policy, the Board got down to a hotter, shakier subject - preventing the inevitable fires that follow earthquake activity.
Carlos Baltodano, Director of Building Inspection, proposed an ordinance that would require new construction and remodeling of structures in the unincorporated area to install one of two types of gas shut-off valves.
"Statistics show that there is a 70% chance that 'the big one,' an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude, is probable within the next 30 years," Bartodano argued. "This is based on a geological survey of the area." Bartodano went on to explain that up until now residents were advised to keep a crescent wrench next to the shut-off valve on their gas line so that if an earthquake did occur, the homeowner could rush to the valve, find the wrench and turn off the gas before a fire or explosion. Not a very likely scenario.
Baltonado proposed two different types of relatively inexpensive automatic shut-off valves to be required: a seismic valve (costing between $250 and $300) and excess flow valve (costing around $99). The seismic valve would automatically shut off the gas for any quake that registered 5.1 or higher. The excess flow valve is designed to shut off the gas whenever it detects a leak or breakage in the line.
Contra Costa County Fire Chief Keith Richter approved of the valves. "I hope that homeowners would see it as relatively cheap insurance against fire after an earthquake," he told the Board. "I like them because they are passive devices that require no action by the homeowner to activate. We know that fires can and will start after a quake." He went on to say that with the use of these shut-off valves, and their subsequent prevention of after-quake fires, the fire department can better use their personal in the rescue efforts that are sure to follow.
Director Baltodano went on to explain that the valves are tantamount to smoke detectors and can be easily reset by the homeowner once the danger is past.
Supervisor Gioia cautioned that PG&E is "taking a neutral stance on the seismic meter" which has been known in the past to be set off by heavy equipment trucks passing in the area. Bartodano assured the Board that the newer models have been constructed to prevent such malfunctions.
The Board main concern was voiced by Supervisor Gerber. "Supervisors are not going to promote one manufacturer over the another," she said. Bartodano assured the Board that a list of manufacturers for both types of valves would be supplied and that only the types of shut-off valves were required, not the brands.
Before the vote on whether or not to pass the ordinance took place, Supervisor Gioia added the stipulation that, if passed, the proposal would be forwarded to the Mayor's Conference for consideration by the City of Martinez.
The ordinance passed unanimously and will take effect in 60 days. For more information on the valves, contact the Building Inspection Department.

LOS ANGELES TIMES
No Gas Shut-Off Valve Yet? The Clock's Ticking (selected paragraphs)
SUNDAY, MAY 2, l999, REAL Estate Part K. Page 1
By Julie Tamaki
TIMES STAFF WRITER

Time is running out for thousands of Los Angeles homeowners to comply with a city ordinance that requires that they equip their homes with automatic gas shut-off valves to prevent fires from erupting during or after an earthquake.
The ordinance calls for all buildings including single-family homes, that contain gas piping in the city of Los Angeles to be equipped with a gas shutoff valve either within one year of the close of escrow or, in the case of new buildings, at the time of construction. The law also applies to remodels of $10,000 or more.
Installation prices may also escalate, for example, if home's gas meter is in an underground vault or if the piping is badly corroded, experts warn.
Potential complications aside, shutoff valves have won endorsements from seismic experts because of their ability to cut off gas flow in pipes during the kind of violent shaking that occurs in a magnitude 5 or greater earthquake.
About half of the 51 gas-related fires after the Northridge earthquake would have been prevented by the valves. "One of the dangers of an earthquake is that it can cause gas piping to break, lead to leakage of gas and cause an explosion or fire in a building at the very time when emergency response resources are most strained…"
In the wake of the devastating fires that swept though Kobe, Japan after the earthquake in 1995, L.A. city Councilman Hal Bernson sponsored a measure requiring Installation of shut-off valves in all newly built structures and apartment and commercial remodels of $10,000 or more.

LOS ANGELES TIMES
Quake-Proof Your Home Before the Shaking Starts
SUNDAY, July 16,2000, Real Estate part K, page 1
By LIZ PIILUAM WESTON
TIMES STAFF WRITER

University of California engineers demonstrated graphically last week how ordinary household objects can become killers in an earthquake.
'The engineers simulated the 1994 Northridge earthquake's impact on a model home, using a 6-by-20-foot 'shake table' to reproduce that 6.7 temblor's massive horizontal motion. While the structure survived intact, heavy furniture and electronics were sent flying. A television shot out of an entertainment center a stereo speaker tumbled from a shelf onto a child's bed, a heavy hot water heater crashed to the ground and a file cabinet fell over.
Then there was all the other damage: picture frames that tumbled from walls, glasses and plates that shattered, flowerpots list slid off window boxes and crashed to the ground.
All this happened in a few seconds-far too quickly for anyone to react or get out of the way.
The engineers made the point that the wreckage was unnecessary. For less than $200 and a few hours of work, most Southern California homes can be made much safer in an earthquake A somewhat larger investment-say $300 to $3000-could help save your financial investment in your home.
The issue of containing earthquake losses is more than academic for Californians. Homeowners insurance does not cover damage from earthquakes. Four out of five Californians don't have earthquake insurance, and most of those who do have 15% deductibles, which means that the homeowner pays for the first $35,000 of damage to a home that is insured for $200,000.
Modern earthquake insurance also typically has low limits on coverage, typically replacing only $5,000 of furniture electronics and other possessions yet many Californians do nothing to protect their lives and their property from earthquake damage. The reasons seem to be a deep-seated sense of denial, said Mark Leonard, spokesman for the California Earthquake Authority, the state-rum insurance pool that is conducting consumer research on the issue.
Californians seem to be largely divided into two groups--those who are risk adverse and those who aren't. Leonard said. Those who aren't are unlikely to take any steps to protect themselves.
"They don't believe themselves to be at risk," said Leonard. "In focus groups, they will actually say things like, 'I won't be at home when the earthquake hits' or 'We've already had our earthquake "-as if earthquakes are a predictable or once-in-a-lifetime event.
Some earthquake protection measures cost little or nothing. Moving heavy objects from high shelves to lower ones can minimize damage, for example, as can positioning beds away from windows, to protect occupants from flying glass. Removing glass from bedrooms and not hanging pictures or heavy items over beds is another free safety measure. Finding the locations of shut-off valves for gas, water and electricity takes only a little hunting (or a call to the utility for help).
Other solutions are relatively low cost Heavy furniture such as bookcases entertainment centers and free-standing cabinets can he bolted or strapped to wall studs. Hardware stores and home improvement centers sell a variety of L shaped braces and heavy nylon straps for $15-to $20 each that can be used. The straps include Velcro pads that may eliminate the need to drill holes in the furniture.
By California law, water heaters must be strapped to wall studs at the top and bottom using metal tape.
It's important that heavy items be secured to studs, not simply to the drywall or other relatively thin wall covering. Hardware stores have inexpensive stud finders that use magnets to detect nails in the underlying studs; since the magnets also detect galvanized pipe and metal conduit, some cross-checking is needed. Such stores also carry more expensive electronic versions that measure wall density. Electronic equipment should also be secured. Lightweight nylon strap kits that cost $10 to $15 each are available for computers, televisions, stereos and home office equipment.
Cabinet latches used in childproofing typically cost less than $1 each and can keep dishes, cutlery, pantry supplies and the contents of the medicine cabinet from spilling onto the floor.
Safeguarding hanging pictures can be cheap or expensive. The cheapest solution is to simply remove any glass-covered framed objects from the home. A more practical solution is to make sure the pictures are well secured to walls. Picture hangers should be attached to studs, or use toggle-style bolts that distribute the weight of the picture on the walls' surface, Earthquake hangers are special picture hangers hat secure the frames wire in a small plastic box. Replacing glass with plexi glass is a more expensive solution.
In addition, a pry bar, flashlight, shoes and heavy gloves should be stowed under the beds of anyone able to use them. The pry bar can help open stuck doors or windows; the flashlight will be necessary to navigate in the dark if the electricity goes out; and the shoes and gloves can help avoid injury front broken gloss and other hazards.
Seismic gas shut-off valves, which are required in Los Angeles as well at some other California cities, are more expensive. These valves automatically stop the flow of natural gas into a home when triggered by an earthquake. Your plumber can install the valve for about $300.
Bolting a house to its foundation and strengthening flue cripple walls underneath the house can be an expensive proposition; contractors typically charge $2000 to $3000 to bolt an average sized house. But structural engineers agree that bolting a home properly is one of the best ways to avoid catastrophic damage. The Assn. of Bay Area Governments at (510) 464-7900 offers do-it-yourself an instructional video, 'Stand Up to the Quake," for $10.83 including tax and shipping and handling.
Many earthquake retrofits are designed to reduce physical damage to a home and its contents. The following actions could also save a life or avoid serious injury and should be standard procedure in Southland homes, retrofit experts say.
I. Bolt the foundation. The easiest way to avoid catastrophic damage to most homes is to make sure they remain on their foundations in a quake.
2. Safeguard the bedrooms. Remove, bolt or strap down any heavy objects that could topple or fly onto the bed, including bookcases or pictures. Remove all glass; glass in picture frames can be replaced with safer plexiglass.
3. Bolt or strap furniture and electronic equipments elsewhere in the home. Televisions, stereos and computers can become deadly flying objects in a strong earthquake. Bookcases, tall furniture and filing cabinets can topple over.
4. Strap the hot water heater. Heaters should be properly strapped, top and bottom, with solid metal bands connected to studs in the walls.
5. Install an automatic gas shut-off valve. These valves, which cost about $300 to install, are required for Los Angeles and are a smart idea for any Southern California resident.

Reeves Journal
All Levels of Government Now Recognize
the Need to Install Earthquake Shut-Off Valves
The Federal Government has recognized the need for shut-off valves since January of 1990 when President Bush signed Executive order 12699. The Executive Order states: "The purposes of these requirements are to reduce risks to the lives and occupants of buildings…to protect public investments..." The provisions of the order apply to "all…new construction activities..." Today, many Federal Government employees and buildings are protected by Shut-Off Valves.
On November 22, 1994, the City of Los Angeles enacted an ordinance that requires the installation of shut-off valves on all new construction and remodeling and repair of residential, commercial and industrial structures valued at more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more. Under the leadership of City Councilman Hal Bernson, the city recognized the dangers of gas-fueled fires following earthquakes and took action to protect the lives and property of the residents of the city.
On Thursday, December 8, 1994, the Seismic Safety Commission of the State of California approved and adopted a report entitled, "Northridge Earthquake: Turning Loss to Gain". ''In that report, the Commission declared: "The combined loss of water pressure, electrical power and communications, coupled with significant gas-related fires, presents a clear and unacceptable hazard with far-reaching implications..."
The Commission also recommended the mandatory installation of Earthquake Shut-Off Valves at the service entry point of all mobile home parks in California" and that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issue recommendations and regulations to "ensure improvement in safety and seismic performance of gas... lines, including…the use of automatic shut-off valves..."

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