Knowing that I’ve been on the lookout for accounts of disasters from Wells Fargo Team Members, historian Marianne Babal brought a copy of the Wells Fargo News from October 20, 1987 to my attention. The newsletter contains stories of Team Members who were at work when the Whittier earthquake  struck at 7:42 a.m. Thursday, October 1.

Executive Vice President Ron Parker, who was on the 12th Floor of the Los Angeles headquarters, recalls:

We couldn’t get out of our chairs because the building was swaying so badly.

Whittier Main Office branch manager Cecilia Brenes was arriving at work.

The new teller signs were on the floor, the WEBS machine was smashed, ceiling tiles had fallen and the floor was flooded from a broken water pipe.

In addition, the office's safe deposit nest had been moved by the jolt and the cabinet housing the branch’s cash had shifted at least five inches.

Downey Office Manager David Cooley was at the office when the quake struck.

We had a lot of mechanical problems... All eleven of our tellers’ computers had been knocked to the floor. A window had crashed onto a new accounts desk. We had no telephone and no electricity until Friday morning at 9:30. It was a pretty wild scene... (building security) helped us get nine new computers by the next day. We were really lucky to be able to open on time on Friday.

Where were you when Loma Prieta struck? Or Northridge? Or Katrina? Share your stories with us. We’d love to hear from you.