The Fullerton Public Library opened the doors of their conference room for concerned residents who were impacted by the recent 5.1 magnitude La Habra earthquake on March 28.

The crowded room was filled with guests eager to know why and how the earthquake happened as well as what they can do to be prepared for a future earthquake.

Dr. David Bowman, a seismologist and professor of geological science and interim dean of the college of Natural Science and Mathematics at Cal State Fullerton was able to answer the hard-hitting questions and concerns of the attendees.

“This earthquake was a real wake-up call for us,” Bowman said. “It his us all right where we live; literally.”

Bowman explained the science behind the quake in an informative and comedic interactive lecture in which he encouraged the attendees to not hesitate in interrupting him and asking a question.

Bowman discussed earthquake faults that pose what he called a significant hazard to Southern California such as the Puente Hills fault which stretches from Yorba Linda and heads west to Downtown Los Angeles.

The 1994 Northridge earthquake was discussed by Bowman and the relation it could have with Fullerton.

“There is a lot of parallels of the Northridge earthquake that could be a potential model of an earthquake here in Orange County” Bowman said.

He went on to explain what a blind thrust fault is which is when a body of rock is thrust over another to make a hill in which he also added is the fault that broke causing the Northridge earthquake and is what Coyote and Puente Hills sits on.

“The fault [puente hills] is probably not the one this earthquake happened on.” Bowman said as he explained that there has only been three on this fault the past 11,000 years.

The San Andreas fault was a topic of concern to Bowman during the lecture.

“It is the single biggest threat to Southern California, it is our Hurricane Katrina,” Bowman said. “I say that because it hit an area that wasn’t prepared for it and it has the potential to be ours if we are not.”

Throughout the lecture guests interrupted Bowman during his lecture and voiced either concern or questions ranging from earthquake preparedness to the 8.2 magnitude earthquake in Chile.

Ozzy Venegas an Anaheim resident was one of the many attendees eager to hear Bowman and his information on the earthquake.

“It was very informative and I felt he answered a lot of questions I had,” Venegas said. “I was also thankful he covered the subject of fracking.”

Venegas attended the lecture on behalf of sister who lives in Coyote Hills after her house was damaged by the earthquake.

The heart of the meeting was preparedness and making sure resident’s questions were answered. Bowman informed residents on tips on how to be prepared and having an earthquake proof home.

“This earthquake is the warning on making sure we are prepared,” Bowman said. “It wasn’t big enough to do serious damage.