The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Most of the state’s major metropolitan areas are subject to potentially devastating, large magnitude earthquakes.

(b) Earth scientists estimate that there is greater than a 50 percent probability that one or more damaging earthquakes will occur in these metropolitan areas between now and the end of the century.

(c) The commission, in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies, has initiated programs to prepare the state for responding to the threat of major earthquakes. The first program, the Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project, is administered by the office. The commission has since initiated a similar effort in northern California, the Bay Area Regional Earthquake Preparedness Project.

(d) Through the work of the Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project and the Bay Area Regional Earthquake Preparedness Project, earthquake mitigation and preparedness plans, procedures, and educational materials have been developed and used to encourage and support local jurisdictions’ preparedness activities in both southern and northern California.

(e) Since July 1, 1984, the commission and the office have jointly carried out a comprehensive earthquake preparedness program by providing planning and technical assistance as follows:

(1) To local jurisdictions, volunteer agencies and associations, and private-sector organizations, to develop and implement hazard mitigation and prevention programs to reduce earthquake vulnerability.

(2) To improve regionwide preparedness and response capabilities.

(3) To stimulate and promote innovative preparedness planning activities by local jurisdictions.

(f) The activities of the Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project and the Bay Area Regional Earthquake Preparedness Project have successfully encouraged and supported local programs that reduce potential earthquake hazards and increase preparedness capabilities of participating jurisdictions and raise the level of citizens’ awareness of, and preparedness for, earthquakes.

(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1115, Sec. 2.)