The 1906 San Francisco earthquake is being commemorated by a group preserving the legacy of first responders

San Francisco city leaders, historians and community members woke up early Thursday morning to commemorate the 118th anniversary of the devastating earthquake and fire that destroyed much of the city in 1906.

This tradition brings people together at various landmarks around San Francisco and serves as a reminder to government, public safety, and residents to prepare for the next major natural disaster.

Prepare for earthquakes

“I was born and raised here in San Francisco, and I love our first responders, and I love our history in San Francisco, and this is a great way for me to contribute to the city, preserve the history of our first responders, and all the different departments,” said David Cruz of the volunteer city guard group. Alive”.

A view of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco amid the ruins following the 1906 earthquake and fire. Associated Press

Guardians of the City helps organize events related to the earthquake anniversary each year on April 18, including ceremonies at the Lota Fountain on Market Street and the fire hydrant next to Dolores Park — both of which were important sites in 1906. The fountain was a meeting point for Cannes Survivors The fire hydrant on the south side of the park is one of the few that was operational at the time and helped save the Mission District.

City agencies such as police and fire departments work alongside the San Francisco Historical Society and other volunteers to produce the event annually.

“Remembering our history, remembering the survivors, remembering those who have died, is a great way for us to remember who we are as a city, and how resilient we are as a city, as we continue to move forward today,” Cruz said.

The day before, a luncheon celebrated those working to preserve the stories of San Francisco's first responders and that important moment in local and American history. A wreath was also laid at the event at the Lota Fountain on Thursday morning, a sign that this year organizers wanted to honor the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, the city's former mayor.

Participants and the crowd that showed up along Market Street moved to 20th Street and Church Street where a gold-plated fire hydrant is painted each year by people honoring someone special to them. Many shared stories of relatives who were alive during the 1906 earthquake and fires, and others paid tribute to loved ones and friends they had recently lost.

The message throughout the morning was to encourage everyone to make sure they are prepared for an earthquake, recognizing that another major event along the San Andreas Fault is expected this century. Cruz says he lived through the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and it told him how important it is for everyone to be prepared.

“I lived here, and I was a little kid, and it was a scary moment for me,” Cruz said. “That's what I'm thinking about, when the next storm hits, what our community is going to look like, what kind of support they're going to need, and how we're going to continue to rebuild San Francisco.”

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Shawn Chitnis

Shawn Chitnis joined the KPIX 5 news team in October 2021 after spending over 6 years with our sister station CBS4 Denver.

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