Earthquake San Ramon town hall draws hundreds as officials urge preparedness
Hundreds of residents packed a town hall Friday to hear seismologists and first responders discuss an uptick in seismic activity, underscoring why earthquake san ramon has become a focus for local preparedness now.
The meeting, held at the San Ramon Community Center on Friday, featured Angie Lux of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, who said there is no way to forecast quakes and described the recent activity as "a very energetic swarm. " She told the crowd that scientists "can’t tell you that there’s going to be another big earthquake — and we also can’t tell you that there’s not going to be another big earthquake. "
the area has seen about 100 earthquakes over the past 30 days and that, since November 2025, residents have felt dozens of tremors — a pattern local leaders described as an earthquake swarm. The numbers were cited as the reason the city convened the public forum and stepped up outreach on basic safety steps.
First responders at the town hall included Chief Jonas Aguiar of the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, who emphasized preparedness over prediction. Mayor Mark Armstrong, a former FEMA official, urged residents to be informed, make a plan and assemble a kit. Don Parker, a director with the fire district and a former fire chief, advised households to have contact people outside the area because power outages and overwhelmed phone networks can prevent calls from getting through.
Earthquake San Ramon: What experts told residents
Angie Lux focused on concrete safety measures: during shaking, drop, cover and hold on rather than running outside and avoid doorways. She recommended downloading the ShakeAlert app to receive quick notifications when earthquakes occur and said there is no scientific method for predicting where or when a larger quake might strike. Lux closed with a blunt recommendation: "Be prepared for that next big earthquake. "
Advice from first responders and local leaders
Chief Aguiar described how responders prioritize preparedness, and Mayor Armstrong repeated practical steps residents can take at home. The fire district is promoting Community Emergency Response Team classes; officials noted the most recent upcoming classes are scheduled in March and April. Don Parker reminded people to identify out-of-area contacts because local phone service can be disrupted in the aftermath of a quake.
What residents heard and what’s next
Several attendees said the session changed how they would act during shaking. Mark Lucas told the gathering he learned to go under a desk or cabinet instead of standing in a doorway, and Molly Abreu said the town hall made her feel better prepared even though no one can predict the next large event. they will continue outreach and training, with CERT classes in March and April offered as the next scheduled opportunities for residents to build practical preparedness skills.
