Local firefighters are hoping the Great Shakeout earthquake drill got people thinking about a backup plan before the Big One hits.

Bakersfield Fire Captain Michael Walkley says his department was at several sites Thursday asking folks to learn how to shut off their gas and put out small fires. Walkley says firefighters responding to a large scale emergency cannot be everywhere, especially with budget cuts, and taking care of small problems prevents them from becoming bigger ones.

Kelli Forsch