CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Nanette Barragan

Interview

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KEILAR: We're following breaking news, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, the biggest in decades, has rocked southern California followed by dozens and dozens of aftershocks. The quake was centered near the desert town of Ridgecrest, which is about 150 miles from Los Angeles.

Joining me now is Democratic Congresswoman Nanette Barragan of California. She's a member of the Homeland Security Committee.

You represent an area south of Los Angeles, so I know you did not feel this earthquake personally. But you said your mother, who lives slightly north of you, did feel it.

What are you hearing?

REP. NANETTE BARRAGAN (D-CA): We're hearing it was more of a shaking instead of a rolling feeling and they said they felt it but didn't feel it very strongly where I am in south Los Angeles.

So not hearing too many reports, certainly haven't heard any damage reports out where I'm at.

KEILAR: What does the response look like?

Do you have anything to compare this to?

BARRAGAN: I've certainly felt a number of earthquakes. It is a good reminder to tell people to have a plan, be ready for an earthquake, because in California we can have one at any time. So we have our thoughts out with the first responders and make sure people are prepared for the aftershocks that will follow.

KEILAR: The president tweeted he's been briefed on this. We should note the president and Governor Newson have not always been on the best of terms.

Are you confident that any sort of federal response your state needs will be satisfied?

BARRAGAN: I am. We've had hearings at Homeland Security on this very issue. Beyond the president at the top who makes these threats and puts these tweets out, folks we have worked with have been very cooperative and say the state of California will get the funding necessary in emergency situations and I'm comfortable with that.

KEILAR: A lot of people who have not been through an earthquake, which is something unique to California and to the West Coast, they don't know that even once there is an earthquake -- it isn't all over. There's still some frayed nerves, still a question of whether something else is going to happen.

Is that concerning Californians?

BARRAGAN: Absolutely. It's very scary when there's shaking and moving; you don't know what to do, some people run outside. That's not the thing to do. You're supposed to take cover, get under a sturdy table or in a doorway.

But it can rattle your nerves and certainly when you feel the aftershocks, sometimes you wonder if this will be bigger, so it is a concern to people in the area.

KEILAR: How big is a concern is there that this might be bigger?

I remember growing up in California, the talk was, when is the big one going to be?

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KEILAR: Is there a concern that there could -- it seems like the chance of this happening is small but it's not zero.

How concerned are people that there's going to be a big one?

BARRAGAN: We don't really hear about it as much anymore as I used to when I was a kid about the big one. I think the more earthquakes that you have in smaller numbers, they say the less likely you'll have a really big one.

To some degree, when I see these happen at 5 and 6, I feel less concern that we are going to see a very big one. So we haven't heard too much from constituents on this issue recently.

KEILAR: What's your message to your fellow Californians to keep themselves safe right now?

BARRAGAN: First, be ready, have a plan with your family. If there's an earthquake, where do you meet?

Who do you call?

Make sure you're prepared with food and water. It's very critical. But just tell people to go about your daily lives today. Enjoy the Fourth, have a good time but be prepared in case of an emergency, certainly an earthquake.

KEILAR: I want to ask you about the warning system. The USGS said it worked correctly but the threshold was set at a certain level so that even people in Los Angeles were wondering what was going on. They weren't going to feel the quake.

Do you see think the threshold needs to be lowered?

Is that something you'd be interested in so that people aren't as surprised?

BARRAGAN: Absolutely. The question is, where do you set it?

We do have a lot of smaller shakes here.

Do you want it constantly going off and, you know, causing some concern?

But sometimes we forget what a 4 or 5 feels like. If we're hearing an overwhelming number saying they want it decreased, I think it's a good idea. I would rather be safe than sorry and have heads up and be prepared to get under a table.

KEILAR: Yes indeed. Congresswoman, thank you so much.

BARRAGAN: Thank you.

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