I think Ritter has it right as set forth here: www.equipped.org/earthqk.htm. I am dispersing my supplies throughout my property, since there may be considerable damage and some areas may be inaccessible. I just shove a few basic items under the bed, like the pry bar, kept there so I can pry my way out (In the event, AkSAR and others are welcome to pry into my affairs, likely the sooner the better).

I believe reinforced four posters have been marketed here in SoCal, but I don't think large numbers have been sold. If you have a one story framed dwelling, you are in an inherently good structure for withstanding EQs,especially if you are properly tied to your slab or foundation.

I always chuckle at the brief appearance of incredibly cheesy "survival kits" in the local big boxes following any shaking event that gets significant coverage. They disappear after a month.

I have been told that there is a dip in the housing market following something like Northridge or Loma Prieta, but that things are back to normal in about three months. Sounds about right.....

I am in the process of tweaking my EQ preps and renewing perishables.

This is true. Wood frame construction is generally among the safer places to be in an earthquake. The house can give and flex with the shaking, but not fall down on top of you. The house may damaged enough so as to be not be repairable afterwords, but you will likely live through the quake.

There are some exceptions to this, of course. If your house is built on ground prone to landslide, the house may be ripped apart. This is what happened in many of the photos you may have seen of the '64 Alaska Earthquake. Many of the deaths in Anchorage were in the "Turnagain Heights" area, where part of the subdivision was destroyed in a landslide.

The other thing that will get you in a wood frame house is things inside the house falling on you. Tall bookcases with heavy potted plants on top are not a good idea in earthquake country!

Nor are mirrors on the ceiling.....

A good idea IMHO, I read somewhere of concerned parents in earthquake country who purchased heavy duty steel framed bunk beds for kids with only the lower bunk used for sleeping.
The steel frame and upper bunk giving some protection against any structural damage to the home.
The upper bunk could be used for storage of only soft and lightweight articles such as spare bedding.

But it is more exciting if you are sleeping in the upper bunk when the shock comes rolling through. I know, I was sleeping in an upper bunk far from the epicenter when Northridge struck. It was a pretty good alarm clock...

We're good to go here, single story frame construction and no bunk-beds Still, I keep a good headlamp, flashlight, pry bar and boots nearby. Headlamp and boots are the priority. There's no telling what will have broken that you really don't want to step on.

Meanwhile, my other half is convinced I'll sleep right through it The dog will wake me up...

An easily accessible headlamp and boots or other sturdy footwear are definitely a good idea. Wood frame houses can flex a lot. Windows not so much.

I also keep a gas shut off wrench zip tied to the main valve by the gas meter on the outside of our house.

For a well thought out approach to dealing with earthquakes, consult "Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety" by Earthquake Country Alliance. I also highly recommend CERT training -here in earthquake country, specific measures for EQs are prominent. I keep a gas valve wrench in my CERT pack.

I mentioned earlier about the brief appearance of crummy emergency supply kits in stores immediately after a shaking event. One exception appears to be the local REI, which regularly stocks what appears to be a fairly decent emergency kit, although I am a staunch adherent of DIY for items like this.

the real dilemma here - is that we are all victims of "other peoples' preparedness". After the big quake in Japan (was it 2011?), I did a quick survey of my building in L.A. Virtually no-one had put away any kind of food and water reserves ... maybe people had 1 gallon at home. I was shocked. That water will last people a couple of days. Many, many people in L.A. are still like that now. Drills on "earthquake preparedness" are going nowhere - because people have heard the message too often.

There's no need to tell you what WILL happen. It a repeat of Katrina, but on a much larger scale. Stores will be looted immediately after a major quake. I figure that most people will run out of water in 2-3 days in Los Angeles, and maybe 4-5 days for food. After that ... all H*LL breaks loose. Unfortunately, there are a lot of "paranoid" people who have armed themselves - expecting this exact scenario. I personally thing the events will be much nastier than New Orleans - because a much larger city is involved.

I still expect we will see the "best" and the "worst" of human nature. But the "worst" will be a lot scarier than the USA has seen before ... I'm thinking anyway. I hope I am wrong.

Pete

I am not quite as pessimistic as you about the aftermath of a major quake in LA. Theregion has experienced Northridge in 94 and Sylmar in the early 70s, both with major damage. I believe there was indeed some looting, but nothing like societal collapse.

During the Northridge event, a lady thought the shuddering she felt while driving on the freeway might have been a flat tire. She was relieved to find it was "only" an EQ. It makes sense for her personally when you think about it. Changing a tire during the morning rush hour on a major freeway is fraught with peril