How to Prepare for an Earthquake

Everyone needs to prepared for an earthquake!

Earthquakes can be a danger in many places that aren't aware of it. There are faults that aren't mapped, earthquakes in other areas can cause damage hundreds to thousands of miles away, and there are even things that mimic the damage caused by earthquakes, such as a vehicle crashing into your building or a sink hole forming nearby.

No matter where you are, you should be prepared for emergencies, including earthquakes.

People die because they don't expect an earthquake to happen to them. Everyone should be prepared, but some areas, areas known to suffer devastating earthquakes regularly, need to be extra prepared. The San Francisco Bay Area and city of Los Angeles in California, the entire state of Alaska, Japan, Turkey, and Indonesia are all at extreme risk for earthquakes. It's not a question of if the next big one is going to happen, it's only a matter of when. To not be prepared in these places is basically like playing Russian Roulette. Each year that goes by without an earthquake is simply a click of the trigger, and though you can't tell how many clicks it will take before death and destruction, you know it's coming.

In the average earthquake, more people are hurt from falling items than anything else.

Around the house:
Secure heavy items with earthquake straps to the studs of your house, newer TVs are especially dangerous since it's quite common for them to fall on and kill children, even when there isn't an earthquake.
Hot water heaters should have at least two earthquake straps on them as well since they are very dangerous.

In the kitchen:
Cupboards, especially the upper ones, should have sturdy latches, either child safety latches or magnetic ones.
It's best to keep canned goods and other heavy items as well as glass in lower cupboards.
Household chemicals should be labeled and placed so they won't get knocked over.

In the bedroom:
Do not place bookshelves above your bed.
Heavy items like TVs should be secured to the wall.

In the bathroom:
Non-slip stickers should be applied to slippery surfaces.

Every single person on the planet that has electricity, natural gas, or water lines should know how to turn them off where they enter the home. The 1906 San Franciscan Earthquake had lots of damage caused by the earthquake itself, but what really devastated the city were the fires that spread due to gas lines not being shut off and the citizens not having water to put them out due to the water lines being broken. If there is leaking gas from a broken pipe, a single spark can take out an entire neighborhood, and you may not always be able to determine if there is a leak right away, so it's definitely better to be safe than dead.

I'm a big advocate of older kids knowing how to do a lot of the earthquake preparedness as well, and this is such an important one that they really need to know how to do it in case you are incapacitated, unconscious and pinned under a beam, or simply at work.

You'll need to walk around your house or apartment and locate where each utility enters your home. There should be a sort of pipe, with a main valve on it. Utility shut-offs vary across the world, so if you are unsure what they look like in your area it's a good idea to call your utility company and ask, or at least ask a friend or neighbor to show you where and how to shut them off. Once you have located each one, it's a good idea to add a waterproof tag to each shutoff valve, labeling them as water, gas, and so on since after a disaster, emergency personnel may come by to turn them when they can, and even neighbors may need to do so if you are gone or for some reason unable to do so.

Preparing your neighborhood is just as important as preparing your family in this case. If there is an emergency and some people are gone, the neighborhood is still at risk of fire or explosion damage, no matter if you get your utilities shut off or not. Ensure that you know how and where to shut off your neighbor's utilities and that they know how and where to shut off yours, just in case. It's really a good idea to have a neighborhood, earthquake preparedness meeting if possible. You can also then discuss other things like where you will take shelter in an earthquake (in case anyone has to be dug out) and where everyone plans to meet after the disaster. You can also share emergency contact information if you wish.

Surviving the earthquake just to die of starvation or thirst or cold would be pretty darn stupid. Though you may not be able to know exactly when a disaster is going to occur, you can plan for earthquakes and other disasters and prepare for them. Having a disaster preparedness kit is extremely important since you may have to survive for quite a while without help. Emergency personnel may be unable to get to you, and wouldn't you like to have some way to staunch bleeding, some food, some water there until they can get to you?

Your kids should know where in your house to go and what to do in an earthquake, but they should also know what to do afterwards. In an earthquake, their survival will depend on what you've taught them.

If you are at work during the earthquake, you will be unlikely to be able to make it home. The roads will be backed up with traffic, there will be debris on the ground, and some areas will even be closed off due to massive damage. If you are at work when the earthquake strikes or even if you die or are knocked out during it, whether your kids live or die depends on you and what you've taught them.