HOMEOWNERS' GROUP GEARS UP FOR DISASTERS; DRILLS HELP RESIDENTS PREPARE.

Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer

The floor shook. Walls trembled, and furniture rocked and rolled inside an earthquake simulator dubbed the ``Quake Cottage.''

``That was fun,'' said 4-year-old Jessica Foster. ``If that happened for real, I'll go under a table or go outside.''

Jessica, her three sisters and parents were among an estimated 200 North Ranch residents who turned out Sunday for a mock disaster drill organized by the North Ranch Homeowners' Association.

``What we're trying to do is simulate up to an 8.0 earthquake, so people can see they can be safe inside their homes,'' said Mike Essrig, chief executive officer of Safe-T-Proof, a Westlake Village firm that sells disaster supplies.

Although the earthquake simulator was a popular draw, the event was designed to practice the community's response plan to a major quake, brush fire or other natural disaster, said North Ranch resident JoAnna Jocelyn.

``People are used to dialing 911. But we're not going to get much help because they'll be so stretched out during a major disaster,'' Jocelyn said. ``People say there's nothing you can do about the Big One. But you can be prepared and make your family safe and comfortable.''

At 9 a.m. - the moment of the fictional temblor - residents gathered up family members, first aid kits and flashlights. They then sniffed for possible gas leaks and then double-checked gas and water valves before heading for one of three central gathering points in North Ranch.

In the event of a real disaster, neighborhood volunteers would tally up those present and accounted for and then send out trained neighborhood search teams to check on the welfare of missing residents in the community.

Although a small group of North Ranch residents put on disaster drills several years ago, Sunday's event was the first organized by the 450-member association, said Randy Witt, the group's vice president.

``We expanded it to include the entire homeowners' association,'' Witt said. ``The more people are prepared, the safer we all will be.''

The 40 or so volunteers of the North Ranch Emergency Preparedness Group have undergone disaster training approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The teams are divided into three areas - search and rescue, medical, and fire response - in addition to census takers, who keep a tally of residents in time of disaster.

A neighborhood response plan and basic training for volunteers is essential. Following the most recent Mexico City quake, untrained volunteers were credited with saving 800 victims. But 100 would-be rescuers died trying to save others.

The group is also ready for fires. The association has put together a fire response team, equipped with portable fire pumps that can draw water from a swimming pool.

``This is not a toy. It's a real fire hose,'' said resident Doug Jocelyn. ``It's actually a little fire engine designed to put out a fire on a 2-1/2-story home. Probably for the first day (after a disaster) we're going to be on our own. If a house catches fire because of a gas leak, it's going to be up to us to take care of it.''