In California, Louder Calls to Prepare for Quakes

As residents on both sides of the Mexican border cleaned up after Sunday’s earthquake, the authorities warned that many Californians remained unprepared for a serious quake, and emergency officials said that budget cuts have strained their ability to handle a disaster. The budget challenges faced by firefighters and other first responders have probably affected preparedness, fire officials say, particularly in remote or lightly populated areas that often depend on larger cities or agencies for help in emergencies.