Despite her international involvement, Petal hasn’t forgotten the risk to children in the United States. In November 2008, she and her RiskRED colleagues participated in the Great California Shakeout, a massive earthquake simulation that included five million people and hundreds of schools. The state asked Petal to evaluate how well the government helps children survive disasters. Petal’s report is due to be released this month, and she is already focusing on two major weak spots in California’s disaster planning: children who might be on school buses or in licensed family day care during an incident. “By the time a disaster happens, it’s too late,” Petal says, before she gets off the phone so that she can catch her next plane. “The time to plan is now.”
Maryn Mckenna is the author of the forthcoming book Superbug.
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