Shaken: The Great Sylmar Earthquake

On February 9, 1971 a 6.5 earthquake struck Los Angeles, specifically the community of Sylmar. More than 60 people were killed, two hospitals collapsed and more than 80,000 people were evacuated because it was believed a dam was going to burst and flood the San Fernando Valley. This is the story of the quake and the aftermath as told by those who lived it, including producer Bob Brill who was a senior at Sylmar High School when the quake struck. The final third of the film details why this quake was so significant in US history and what came out of Sylmar. Several programs were developed and are now world wide in their usage. The film sets up what will happen if another such quake hits the region. Using US Government archive footage and more, the film covers many aspects from the quake to crime, to PTSD suffered today by survivors to fires after an earthquake.