Transcript:
Gale Sinatra knows a lot about climate change.
For decades, the education and psychology professor at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles has studied how to communicate climate science to the general public.
But despite thinking a lot about climate change, she still felt unprepared when the Eaton Fire swept through her neighborhood in Altadena, California, this past January – burning down her house, along with thousands of others.
Sinatra: “We were in a community that had been safe for over 100 years … and so we were under the impression that we were safer from these events than we were. And I think that reflects a lot of people in the country.”
She says that as climate change causes more extreme disasters, it’s important to prepare for events unlike what you’ve seen before. For example, you may be able to take steps to make your home more resilient to floods or fires – and should be ready to quickly evacuate if needed.
Sinatra: “We need to understand what our community and personal risks are and take actions now before you end up in the situation like myself and my neighbors are in where we’ve experienced this tragic loss. We don’t want to see that happen to anyone else.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media