The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP) monitors and reports on earthquakes  with the overall mission to provide information to reduce risk and loss. Soon after an earthquake occurs anywhere on the globe, the USGS produces a suite of products that characterize the shaking and the potential impacts to people and the built environment providing situational awareness to decision makers, emergency management, the media and the public. Much of this information is delivered through the EHP website that receives millions of visits in the hours after an earthquake making it one of the most heavily trafficked websites in the Federal Government. The USGS has also begun issuing warnings for the imminent arrival of strong ground shaking from earthquakes along the west coast of the US. The ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system promises to provide a tens of seconds for people and machines to take protective actions in order to reduce losses. The recent Ridgecrest, California earthquake sequence  provided a key test of USGS systems and the ability to deliver information in today's technological and media environment.

Dr. Jonathan Godt is the Senior Science Advisor for Earthquake and Geologic Hazards and leads a federal effort dedicated to science and information delivery to reduce the risk from earthquakes and other geologic hazards. Dr. Godt joined the USGS as a student in the mid-1990s and in his career has been both a research scientist and a manager.