WHILE PREPARATIONS MAY APPEAR TO BE SOPHISTICATED, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMERGENCY PLANNING OPERATION DEPENDS UPON PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF CITY AND COUNTY PLANS AND THESE ARE INADEQUATE. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS SEEN AS THE KEY TO DISASTER OPERATIONS. THE ARTICLE STUDIES THE KINDS OF DAMAGE THAT TAKES PLACE DURING AN EARTHQUAKE (KNOCKING OUT OF ROADS, BRIDGES, TUNNELS, AND RAILROADS) AND THE PROBLEMS TO BE MET BY THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING FIREFIGHTING, RESCUE OPERATIONS, WATER MAIN RUPTURES, AND POWER OUTAGES. STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS COMPLAIN THAT THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH MONEY AVAILABLE, AND THERE IS NOT MUCH ENTHUSIASM FOR EMERGENCY PLANNING AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS. ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS IS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THE EVENT OF DISASTER. THE POOR QUALITY AND LIMITED AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AT AN EMERGENCY OPERATING CENTER ARE ALSO NOTED. THE STATE PLAN FOR DELIVERY OF OUTSIDE AID IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE WILL DEPEND UPON COOPERATION BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICE AGENCIES. THE STATE PLAN INCLUDES SETTING UP DISASTER SUPPORT AREAS (DSA'S) ON THE PERIMETER OF THE AFFECTED AREAS AND ASSEMBLING MANPOWER AND MATERIALS THERE. FIELD HOSPITALS ARE TO BE SET UP. LOCALITIES PLAN TO PUT TOGETHER MULTIPURPOSE STAGING AREAS WHICH WILL RECEIVE AID FROM THE DSA'S. THE PLAN WAS PUT TO A SIMULATED TEST IN 1976 AND REVISIONS MADE. PHOTOGRAPHS ACCOMPANY THE TEXT. (RFC)