Oh, I did hear something about it on the radio news yesterday between the "Sarah Palin really isn't stupid" and "Housing prices will go back up after they go down more" stories.
I can't speak for everyone in California, but I don't think many people pay attention to these emergency practice drills, except for the schools and such that get made to practice them.
from the article:
"Some students and professors at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa welcomed the simulated quake as a cigarette break when classes were suspended for 10 minutes. An electronic sign urged everyone to "Stay Calm."
Others were oblivious. At Los Angeles City Hall, the drill coincided with a planning commission meeting. A guard told the packed audience of lobbyists and neighborhood activists to duck and cover. No one did."