California investments in earthquake early warning systems are paying off and providing stronger emergency response and preparedness overall
What you need to know: April is Earthquake Preparedness Month — a time when families, businesses, and workers across the state are encouraged to prepare for the next earthquake. Recent earthquake early warning alerts demonstrate that state investments are paying off and keeping Californians safe.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today marked Earthquake Preparedness Month by highlighting California’s national leadership in seismic safety and early warning, underscoring that the state is moving forward even as the federal government retreats from long-term investments in earthquake resilience.
“As the fourth-largest economy in the world, California is raising the bar on disaster preparedness through the power of innovation and strategic investments. We are advancing cutting-edge technologies that are protecting Californians well before, during, and after earthquakes. While Donald Trump creates crises and disasters at home and abroad, the Golden State remains focused on protecting lives, our businesses, and economic security. We’ve built an earthquake disaster preparedness playbook, and invite the Trump administration to take a page out of it.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
California’s Earthquake Warning California program, launched for the public under Governor Newsom’s leadership in 2019, remains the first statewide earthquake early warning system in the nation and now sends alerts to millions of people ahead of shaking. Alerts are delivered through the MyShake app, Wireless Emergency Alerts, and Android smartphones, often providing valuable seconds for people and critical systems to brace, drop, cover, and hold on.
The underlying technology has also been integrated into automated safety actions that can include slowing trains, opening fire station doors, recalling elevators, and protecting water, gas, and other critical systems before the strongest shaking arrives.
Keeping Californians informed and prepared
Early morning last Thursday, many Bay Area residents were jolted awake by a sizable earthquake, but the seismic event was not what startled them first. It was the lifesaving alert hundreds of thousands received through the Earthquake Warning California on personal devices moments before the quake started.
“We can’t predict when the next earthquake will happen, but we can control how ready we are,” said Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs. “Our advanced technology Earthquake Early Warning system is providing vital moments of notice for people to take lifesaving action. During April, and all through the year, I encourage Californians to stay informed, sign up for alerts, and use tools like the MyShake App to get ahead of the next major earthquake. Taking action today can help save lives tomorrow.”
California’s early warning and seismic safety investments are tied to an aggressive public outreach effort that prioritizes communities at highest risk and communities that have historically been left out of emergency planning. Outreach includes multilingual campaigns, school-based education, and coordination with local governments, utilities, and private sector partners so that alerts trigger real-world protective actions.
Californians are encouraged to:
-
Visit earthquake.ca.gov for preparedness tips and technical information.
-
Download the MyShake app or ensure that earthquake alerts are turned on in their smartphone settings.
-
Learn about the Earthquake Brace + Bolt grant program and other retrofit incentives that can help protect older homes.
Record investments under Governor Newsom
Since taking office, Governor Newsom has advanced a series of targeted investments and partnerships to improve earthquake and seismic preparedness across California. Key actions include:
-
A one-time General Fund investment of $16.3 million in the 2019 budget to finish the build-out of the statewide earthquake early warning system, including completion of seismic station installation, addition of GPS stations, improved telemetry, and a public education campaign.
-
An additional $17.3 million in 2020 to support full operation and maintenance of the earthquake early warning system, ensuring that alerts remain reliable and accessible statewide.
-
Launch of Earthquake Warning California for public use in 2019 and a 2020 partnership with Google to integrate the state’s early warning technology into all compatible Android smartphones, helping ensure that millions of Californians can receive alerts without downloading a separate app.
-
Ongoing investments, in partnership with the California Earthquake Authority and Cal OES, in the Earthquake Brace + Bolt program, which provides grants of up to $3,000 per home for seismic retrofits of older houses, with more than $20 million in grant funding available in recent years to help homeowners and, in 2025, certain landlords strengthen vulnerable properties.
-
Continued support for seismic safety and enforcement of hospital seismic standards, including a 2024 decision to maintain the 2030 deadline for compliance with the state’s Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act, keeping pressure on facilities to remain operational after a major earthquake.
These investments and policy decisions build on the work of previous federal administrations and university partners, while ensuring that Californians are not left exposed if the Trump administration scales back long-term funding for research, operations, and system maintenance.
Trump’s failing disaster strategy
California’s disaster preparedness progress took years of sustained investment, partnership, and commitment to science. Donald Trump is taking the nation in the opposite direction. President Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget makes deep cuts to climate and disaster funding, which would quickly shift preparedness and resilience costs onto state and local governments. States across the nation are already grappling with the economic fallout from the Trump administration’s illegal tariffs, cuts to healthcare, costly war with Iran, and more. Federal spending decisions have real-world consequences for all states. For example, $1.3 billion in cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would reduce state and local preparedness grant programs. It also eliminates the Next Generation Warning System Grant Program, which supports local public media efforts to provide emergency alerts and warnings to the public, including rural areas. The gutting of frontline federal agencies is the culmination of actions the administration has taken to further erode our nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters.
Public servants from federal agencies work tirelessly to protect communities and advance science. Still, a lack of support from Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress hampers their efforts and weakens our national security. The budget is a statement of values, and President Trump has made his clear. The Trump administration chooses to cut federal preparedness and disaster funding even as weather and climate-driven costs continue to burden Americans with billions per year.