San Marcos’ Preparedness Fair Comes With a 72-Hour Reality Check |
The earthquake simulator provides the shake. Evacuation routes, emergency kits and working alerts provide the point. |
Three days.
That is how long San Marcos says residents may be without immediate help after a disaster.
Which makes checking the flashlight batteries considerably more interesting than it was five seconds ago.
The City will hold its annual Community Preparedness Fair on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the San Marcos Community Center, 3 Civic Center Drive.
The event is free and open to the community.
Preparedness costs nothing that morning.
Being unprepared tends to send a larger invoice.
First, Shake the Family
The fair will feature an earthquake simulator, a Home Depot craft table and a limited number of free children’s go-bags while supplies last.
That handles the attention-getting portion.
Families can also meet local agencies and emergency-preparedness organizations while learning how to create a household plan, identify evacuation routes and build or refresh an emergency kit.
Less thrilling than simulated shaking?
Certainly.
More useful when the shaking is real?
Also certainly.
The event takes place during National Preparedness Month, which FEMA recognizes each September to promote family and community disaster planning.
The City is also asking residents to look beyond their own property lines.
Preparedness includes supporting neighbors and community members who may need additional assistance during an emergency.
That turns a household checklist into a neighborhood assignment.
One Emergency, Several Information Sources
San Marcos directs residents to Genasys Protect, the Alert San Diego App, SDG&E alerts and the San Marcos City App.
They are not four copies of the same product.
Genasys Protect allows the public to locate evacuation zones and view evacuation conditions and road closures.
AlertSanDiego is the County’s emergency mass-notification system. It can send important incident and evacuation information to registered mobile numbers and email addresses.
The City has advised residents both to register their phones with AlertSanDiego and download Genasys Protect.
Download one app, declare victory and wait for the trophy?
Nice idea.
Wrong plan.
Families should also understand evacuation terminology. A warning indicates a potential threat and means an order could follow if conditions worsen.
An evacuation order means leave immediately.
That difference is worth learning before emergency vehicles appear outside.
Wildfire Preparation Starts Before the Smoke
The fair will also cover defensible space.
San Marcos says wildfire danger is a year-round threat throughout California. Its guidance calls for at least 100 feet of defensible space around structures built before Jan. 1, 2004, and 150 feet around structures built after that date.
The City also recommends identifying at least two routes out of a home and neighborhood.
The complete exhibitor list, simulator specifications and number and contents of the go-bags have not been published. The City has not stated whether advance registration is required.
The simulator may bring families inside.
The real payoff is leaving with a plan for where to go, what to take and which alerts to follow when the shaking—or smoke—is real.
Questions About San Marcos Preparedness Fair
When is the fair?
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where is it?
San Marcos Community Center, 3 Civic Center Drive.
Is admission free?
Yes. The event is free and open to the community.
What activities are confirmed?
An earthquake simulator, a Home Depot craft table, preparedness resources and children’s go-bags while supplies last. |
11 Comments
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I always forget which is which, evacuation warning vs order. Glad they’re going over it. That confusion could be costly.
Will there be info in Spanish too? Important for our neighbors who aren’t comfortable in English.
Free event, useful info, and crafts for the kids. No reason not to check it out!
Thanks for the info on defensible space. Never knew the distance changed depending on the year built, good tip.
Sam WuYeah, I didn’t realize that either until last year. Makes it trickier for folks with older homes. The rules sure keep changing, but good to know before fire season picks up.
Honestly, I get the point about all those different alert systems, but it’s a lot to keep track of. One app would be nice.
I wish they listed what’s inside the go-bags. Curious if there are allergy-friendly snacks or just basics.
Marion Q.Good question! I have the same concern because my kid has food allergies. Hopefully they post the details soon or can answer questions at the event.
Hope they cover wildfire tips in detail. We backed right up to brush and those winds last fall were scary.
Love that they’re handing out go-bags for kids, but I hope they’ll have enough for bigger families.
I had no idea we might need to be on our own for three days. Yikes, time to check the batteries and stash more water.