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Tradition Continues With Events To Commemorate 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- At about 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, the Great San Francisco Earthquake shook California for almost a minute, causing lives to be lost and buildings to crumble, but 109 years later San Franciscans are continuing to pay tribute to the monumental quake and those who died in the subsequent fire.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time and provided scientists with important new knowledge about the San Andreas Fault.

Early Saturday morning, members of the public gathered to remember that event at Lotta's Fountain in the city's Financial District, located at Market and Kearny streets.

A moment of silence was planned for 5:11 a.m. to be followed by the wail of sirens at 5:12 a.m -- the exact time the great quake struck 109 years ago.

But there was a tiny slip-up. Publicist Lee Houskeeper told master of ceremonies Bob Sarlatte to start a 10-second countdown to the moment of silence. But, with the crowd of approximately 100 loudly chanting "Ten, nine, eight..." in unison, fire crews standing on the periphery of the gathering took that as their cue to sound the sirens, which left the moment of silence more momentary than planned.

Some participants then headed to the top of Dolores Park for a celebration to pay tribute to a fire hydrant located at 20th and Church streets near Dolores Park, which helped the residents of the Mission District battle fires following the quake. Tradition demands that the hydrant be spray-painted gold every year on April 18.

In San Francisco Friday, two fire hydrants at Hayes and Buchanan streets were painted silver to honor their contributions to battling the fires after the quake, according to Housekeeper.

The silver twins, as the hydrants are called, were only recently discovered to have been in operation during the 1906 fires caused by the quake.

A luncheon in honor of the survivors of the quake was held in San Francisco Friday with city officials in attendance.

From 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, the public was invited to celebrate at the annual Survivor Bloody Mary breakfast at Lefty O'Doul's on Geary Street near Union Square.

With April being Earthquake Awareness Month, fire departments across the Bay Area are encouraging Californians to have an emergency earthquake kit and practice emergency drills at home and at work to be prepared, should another earthquake comparable to the 1906 quake arrive.

TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report

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