BART’s Earthquake Response Team, or ERT, is gearing up for whenever an earthquake with a magnitude of more than 6.0 strikes the Bay Area.
When an earthquake hits, ERT members are deployed to predesignated locations to inspect BART stations for structural damage. Their top priorities are the safety of passengers and getting trains running as soon as possible. The ERTs carry backpacks prepacked with tools, including a flashlight, duct tape, an N-95 mask, binoculars and batteries.
According to the BART website, a U.S. Geological Survey statistical analysis predicts a high probability of “one or more major earthquakes hitting the Bay Area within the next 30 years,” including “The Big One.” This scenario, as well as any other earthquake with a magnitude above 6.0 and within 50 miles of the BART system, is what the ERT is preparing to respond to…