So, when preparing for an earthquake, you need to secure any household items that could eventually move, break, or fall and pose safety hazards:
- Anchor large appliances and tall furniture pieces (such as bookcases and filing cabinets) to walls using safety cables or straps. Don’t forget to lock their rollers, if any;
- Place large and heavy items on lower shelves;
- Install latches on drawers and cabinet doors to keep them tightly closed, so that their contents don’t tumble out during a tremor;
- Install ledge barriers on shelves;
How to prepare for an earthquake before it happens?
What to Do Before an Earthquake
- Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and extra batteries at home.
- Learn first aid.
- Learn how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity.
- Make up a plan of where to meet your family after an earthquake.
- Don't leave heavy objects on shelves (they'll fall during a quake).
What are the safety precautions for an earthquake?
- Be aware that smoke alarms and sprinkler systems frequently go off in buildings during an earthquake, even if there is no fire.
- If you smell gas, get out of the house and move as far away as possible.
- Before you leave any building check to make sure that there is no debris from the building that could fall on you.
What are the 7 steps to earthquake safety?
from the next damaging earthquake. More information for each step is available at EarthquakeCountry.org/sevensteps Step 1: Secure your space by identifying hazards and securing moveable items. Step 2: Plan to be safe by creating a disaster plan and deciding how you will communicate in an emergency. Step 3: Organize disaster supplies in convenient locations. Step 4: Minimize financial hardship by organizing important documents, strengthening
What things do you need for an earthquake?
- Bottled water (The Red Cross recommends one gallon per person, per day. ...
- Nonperishable food, like nutrition bars and trail mix or canned food. ...
- Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, wet wipes, etc.)
- Flashlight, hand-crank or battery-operated AM/FM radio, and extra batteries
What are the 5 ways to prepare before an earthquake?
1 Secure furniture so it can't fall over or fall down.2 Plan safety measures to avoid injuries.3 Confirm the strength of your house and walls.4 Always be ready to extinguish fires.5 Take steps for fire prevention and early detection.6 Prepare emergency supplies in advance.More items...
What are 5 things you should keep in your house to help prepare for an earthquake or other disaster?
These items can include the following:Bookcases, Cabinets, and Shelves.Ceilings Lights and Fixtures.Large Appliances - Such as Refrigerators and Water Heaters.Windows and Other Potential Broken Glass.
Why should we prepare for an earthquake?
Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently, and without warning. Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and planning in advance can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake.
What are the 5 things to do during an earthquake?
Be Ready! Earthquakes InfographicMove away from windows and outside walls.Stay in the building.DO NOT use the elevators. The electricity may go out, and the sprinkler systems may come on.If you are trapped, stay calm. Try to get someone's attention by tapping on hard or metal parts of the structure.
How can kids prepare for earthquakes?
Drop, Cover, and Hold On. If you're inside, drop to the ground and take cover under something sturdy like a desk or table if you feel an earthquake. With one hand hold on to the object and with your other arm protect your head and neck.
How can you be prepared for an earthquake class 7?
Answer: Earthquake Preparedness: We should stand against an inside comer or wall. We should stay away from fire places, areas around chimneys, windows that shatter including mirrors and picture frames. We should be prepared by arousing awareness amongst our friends and family members.
What materials are used to make a building earthquake proof?
Structural steel, reinforced concrete, poles, and concrete joints are some materials that you can consider for building an earthquake-proof building.
What is the appropriate action if you are inside your house during an earthquake?
If you are indoors: "DROP, COVER, HOLD ON" Stay inside. Drop under heavy furniture such as a table, desk, bed or any solid furniture. Cover your head and torso to prevent being hit by falling objects. Hold onto the object that you are under so that you remain covered.
How to prepare for an earthquake?
There are four basic steps you can take to be more prepared for an earthquake: Step 1: Secure your space by identifying hazards and securing moveable items. Step 2: Plan to be safe by creating a disaster plan and deciding how you will communicate in an emergency. Step 3:
What is the San Francisco earthquake handbook?
Putting down roots in earthquake country: Your handbook for the San Francisco Bay region. This handbook provides information about the threat posed by earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region and explains how you can prepare for, survive, and recover from these inevitable events. If you live or work in the region, ...
What to wear to avoid injury from broken glass?
WEAR STURDY SHOES to avoid injury from broken glass and debris. Expect aftershocks CHECK FOR INJURIES If a person is bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound, use clean gauze or cloth if available If a person is not breathing administer CPR DO NOT attempt to move seriously injured persons unless they are in further danger of injury COVER injured...
How to stay safe in the kitchen?
If you are INDOORS -- STAY THERE! Get under a desk or table and hang on to it ( Drop, Cover, and Hold on! ) or move into a hallway or against an inside wall. STAY CLEAR of windows, fireplaces, and heavy furniture or appliances. GET OUT of the kitchen, which is a dangerous place (things can fall on you). DON'T run downstairs or rush outside while...
Is it important to be prepared for an earthquake?
No matter where you live, it is important to be aware of and prepared for earthquakes. Join us as we talk to Mike Blanpied, who is the Associate Coordinator for the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, as he gives us safety tips to ensure you and your family are prepared before, during, and after an earthquake.
How to keep your family safe during an earthquake?
Here are five things you should do to keep your family safe: 1. Determine which areas of your home are the safest and most dangerous in the event of an earthquake. Go over these areas with your family so they know where to go if they are in the home when disaster strikes. 2.
What is the FEMA earthquake checklist?
The FEMA Earthquake Safety Checklist is an easy-to-understand resource to help you make sure you are ready for the next quake.
What is putting down roots in earthquake country?
Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country is a Southern California-specific handbook available in English and Spanish published by the Earthquake Country Alliance. You can request a hard copy, download the PDF or read the handbook online.
How likely is an earthquake to happen in California?
According to a handbook published by the Earthquake Country Alliance, California has a 99.7% chance of experiencing a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake some time within the next 30 years – with the highest probability of an earthquake such as this happening along the southern San Andreas Fault.
How to keep cabinets from shaking?
2. Secure heavy, tall furniture to the wall, such as bookcases, hutches, dressers and armoires. 3. Install child safety latches on all cabinet doors to help keep your cabinets closed and the contents inside during the shaking. 4.
Which county has the highest risk of earthquakes?
Of the areas we serve, Riverside County homeowners have the highest risk of experiencing a significant seismic event, followed by Orange County, and then San Diego County, but residents in any of these areas could experience an earthquake strong enough to cause property damage.
What is a seismic zone in California?
Visit www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs to find maps and information about Seismic Hazard Zones (SHZs) before purchasing real estate in Southern California. SHZs are areas where earthquake-related damage may not come from the shaking itself, but rather from landslides or liquefaction. If your dream home is in an SHZ, it is likely that the risk of landslide damage has been mitigated by the developer or current owner, but it is important to confirm this before signing a contract.
Where to store flammable liquids during an earthquake?
A great place to keep flammable or toxic liquids is a garage or a garden shed.
Can concrete crack during an earthquake?
One overlooked detail in earthquake-proofing projects is concrete driveways. While they are cheaper to build, concrete driveways can easily crack during severe earthquakes. If this happens, vehicles might not be able to use the driveway, and it will likely have to be rebuilt completely. A tilled driveway made from cobblestones or paving stones is a more resilient option, as it is cheaper to repair, and less likely to become cut off to cars if damaged.
How to Prepare Your House for an Earthquake
Your home will be safer during an earthquake when efficiently reinforced and in good repair. So, you are recommended to carefully assess its structure and take corresponding measures.
How to Secure the Contents of Your Home
Quite often, it’s not a collapsing structure, but falling objects, flying debris, and shards of broken glass that cause injuries and accidents during a quake. So, when preparing for an earthquake, you need to secure any household items that could eventually move, break, or fall and pose safety hazards:
How to Plan for an Earthquake
In addition to the above precautionary measures, earthquake preparedness requires a bit of careful planning as well. To ensure your safety and the well-being of your family during an earthquake, you are advised to:
Why are earthquakes scary?
Earthquakes and other natural disasters are scary because they take away much of the control we like to think we have over our lives. Being prepared and knowing how to take care of yourself during and after an earthquake can help you take some of that control back.
How does an earthquake affect wiring?
The movement from the earthquake can damage or rupture the piping and wiring in your home. Knowing how to turn these systems off at the source can prevent flooding or fires.
Why are some areas of the country more prone to earthquakes than others?
Some areas of the country are more prone to earthquakes than others, due to the location of faults, which are fractures in the earth’s surface that move against each other.
Can an earthquake happen at night?
Earthquakes can happen at any time, day or night. Having a perfectly prepared earthquake kit doesn’t do you much good if you can’t get to it when the earthquake hits. That’s why you should have emergency supplies in a few different places, including your home, your car and your workplace.
What to do if you have structural issues during an earthquake?
If you noticed structural issues around your home during the last earthquake, the time to fix them is now. Check on anything in your home that can move or fall during a quake, and tie down items like refrigerators and bookcases for next time.
How to survive an earthquake?
Be sure that you have a copy of your emergency contacts on hand in your earthquake preparation kit in case you need to contact friends or family members that can help you in the case of high-risk disasters. Earthquakes are infinitely unpredictable, so it is good to have a bit of control by knowing who to contact and where to go when things get almost too rough to handle.
How to survive an aftershock?
First off: stay calm. It might be difficult, but stay calm and stay in place. Be prepared that there might be another aftershock. Then pull up your phone or find a television. The media will have instructions on what you should do, but only make any calls if you need emergency help.
How to get out of a car after a shock?
Stay in your seat. Like the cover technique, protect your head with your arms and do not move until the shaking is over. Then try to leave in a calm manner in the case of aftershocks.
What can shatter a house?
Anything in your home can shatter when your house is literally shaking. Windows are especially problematic, or any other glass items you have in your home. There are also items like unanchored bookcases, cabinets, refrigerators, or any other furniture. Especially furniture that is tall—avoid these items to keep yourself safe. Stay away from any chimneys that might lose some bricks on the way down too.
How to avoid getting knocked over during an earthquake?
One of the most important things to do is to identify safe areas where you and your family can go in case disaster strikes. If you are indoors, stay low to the ground to avoid getting knocked over during the earthquake and take cover underneath a desk or table and stay away from any pieces of furniture that can fall over on you. If you are outdoors, go to a more open space away from buildings, trees, power lines, and vehicles that can become damaged and fall over on you.
Why are round windows used in earthquakes?
The round shape of the windows prevents the corners cracking and chipping of the windows when an earthquake causes pressure to shift the frames.
