Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Altadena Sheriff’s Station Urges Residents to Prepare for the Next Earthquake

[Shutterstock]

A preparedness flyer points households to Los Angeles County resources as Altadena rebuilds near the Sierra Madre fault zone

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station is asking residents to build an earthquake plan before the next quake, issuing a preparedness flyer that lays out five basic steps for households and directs people to Los Angeles County’s readiness resources.

The flyer, headed “Altadena, Let’s Be Ready,” urges residents to make an emergency plan, assemble a supply kit with water, food, medications and other essentials, secure heavy items and identify safe spots in each room, sign up for emergency alerts, and check on neighbors — particularly seniors and people with access and functional needs. According to the flyer, residents should “drop, cover and hold on” during strong shaking and can find guides, checklists and family tips at the county’s earthquake page, ready.lacounty.gov/earthquakes.

The station’s message aligns with broader guidance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. In a June 25 statement, the department reminded residents across the county that earthquakes can strike without warning and pointed them to the county’s preparedness resources at ready.lacounty.gov.

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station, at 780 East Altadena Drive, is the first-responder law enforcement agency for unincorporated Altadena and nearby areas, including the Eaton Canyon area of the Angeles National Forest and parts of northeast Pasadena.

Altadena lies near the Sierra Madre fault zone, which the Southern California Earthquake Data Center at Caltech lists as capable of producing quakes in the magnitude 6.0 to 7.0 range; the data center names Altadena among the communities near the zone. The community is also still rebuilding from the January 2025 Eaton Fire, which destroyed thousands of structures.

Residents looking to practice can take part in the next Great California ShakeOut, scheduled statewide for Oct. 15, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., when participants drop, cover and hold on together. Registration and drill materials are available at shakeout.org.

Los Angeles County’s full earthquake-preparedness guidance is posted at ready.lacounty.gov/earthquakes.