Californians are actively purchasing earthquake preparedness kits, with sales of disaster supplies surging following a devastating earthquake in Venezuela last week. Companies specializing in emergency provisions report a significant uptick in orders, attributing the increased demand to recent seismic events both domestically and internationally.
Mina Arneo, co-founder of More Prepared, stated that the company's backpack-style emergency kits are selling rapidly. "I'm sure that it has something to do with some of the earthquakes, not just Venezuela, but there's been some in Japan and other places," Arneo said, suggesting a correlation between global seismic activity and consumer behavior.
Chris Rydell, owner of Echo-Sigma, echoed this sentiment, noting a sharp increase in demand for emergency survival products. "It's definitely natural disasters, or the turmoil with Iran [that] has been the biggest motivator lately for getting prepared, because people are nervous about what's happening in our world out here," Rydell explained. He added that earthquakes occurring elsewhere often prompt concern among Californians, leading them to purchase essential supplies.
Echo-Sigma's most popular item for California customers is its "get-home bag," a one- to three-day emergency kit. The company typically fulfills 50-100 orders monthly, with Californians accounting for 20% of sales. Following a major earthquake, such as the one in Venezuela, Echo-Sigma experiences an immediate sales spike of 15-20% for about two weeks. Rydell observed that many customers are reacting out of fear rather than proactive planning.
At SOS Survival Products in Van Nuys, California, owner Jeff Edelstein, who has been in the disaster preparedness business for 37 years, also reported a clear increase in demand. Edelstein described customer behavior as largely "reactionary," with interest surging for a week or two after major events, like the earthquake in Venezuela or any significant quake within the country. He noted that public memory of such events can be short, citing the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence of 2019 as an example.
"People have short term memory. They remember it for a while and then move on to the next thing," Edelstein said. He added that some buyers are genuinely scared, while others are finally taking action after years of intending to prepare.
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake had previously shaken Northern California on June 24, with tremors felt near Redwood Valley. While this domestic event may contribute to ongoing preparedness, the recent Venezuela quake has acted as a significant catalyst for immediate purchases across the state.