San Francisco Sightseeing Articles

The officials are constantly preparing for the next unexpected disaster that may happen. In the event of another huge earthquake arriving Northern California, The International Airport at San Francisco may be the safest place to be at.

The International Airport was fairly well during the San Andreas Fault ruptured on Oct. 17, 1989, resulting the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquakes. "Fortunately damage was relatively moderate for the airport and injuries were thankfully relatively minor ones,'' Bill Wilkinson said." Much of the other damage was characterized by water leaks and dislodged ceiling tiles.'' Bill added.

The Airport will serve as a hub for millions of travelers every year. The Airport is located at U.S highway 101 between San Bruno and Millbrae, which is really going to play an vital role during any disaster.

The evacuation was a huge success during 2001 Sep; "our role in the Office of Emergency Services is to get life back to normal" Quinlan said. In the event of a large quake, Wilkinson said the Health and Safety Department would be responsible for evacuating all of the passengers at the airport. Any decisions directing travelers to shelter in place would be made in consultation with the airport's public information officer, airlines and the airport's incident commander, Wilkinson said.

"The airport is not designed or organized to be a place of residence and has few amenities for long-term stays,'' Wilkinson. "SFO supports about 32 million passengers each year and dividing by 365 gives 89,000 persons traveling per day.'' Though the airport is not designed for house purpose but still the airport could be used for shelter if it's not structurally damaged. Quinlan added.

"The airport is a very important structure to us because it drives the local economy," Quinlan said. "But it's not on the firmest of soil."
"The shaking will actually cause the ground to turn into a liquid, like quick sand," Brocher said. "Even a small quake could compromise the runways."
"All surfaces would be inspected immediately after the shocks by the Airfield Safety Officers, and a decision made as to whether the surfaces can remain in full or limited service," Wilkinson said.

If the airport is unable to receive incoming flights during a large quake, Quinlan said those flights could be diverted to either the Mineta San Jose or Oakland international airports. Moffett Field in Mountain View and the Half Moon Bay Airport could also be used to support smaller aircrafts.

"If you're prepared and you're safe, you can be of service to other people," Quinlan said. "You have to plan, you have to train and you have to exercise."