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How can I Prepare for an Earthquake?
For most people living in the United States, how to prepare for an earthquake is the furthest thing from their minds. However, for those living in earthquake zones or earthquake country, such as California, earthquake “season” is 365 days a year. Disaster experts stress that it is imperative to prepare for an earthquake by educating oneself on disaster preparedness.
Since most of the major population centers in California are situated in earthquake hotspots or along major fault lines, having to ride out an earthquake at some point is inevitable. Taking steps to mitigate the damage in your home or office is a good start to prepare for an earthquake. Your home should be secured to the foundation or retrofitted to make it strong enough to withstand a quake. If you rent, ask the owner of the building whether any steps have been taken to make it more structurally sound in an earthquake. While making plans to prepare for an earthquake at home is smart, ask your work and your child’s school if they have emergency plans as well.
Inside your home or office, the next step to prepare for an earthquake is to make sure that large bookcases and top-heavy pieces of furniture are securely attached to the wall to prevent falling. Four of the deaths that occurred in the Northridge earthquake in California were attributed to falling objects or furniture. Experts suggest securing furniture and water heaters to the wall studs using straps. Water heaters are a particular danger because they can be knocked over, causing the gas line to become damaged or ruptured.
Latches on cabinets can also prevent items from falling out during a quake. Heavy electronics can be strapped down to shelves using nylon straps, and breakables or valuables can be secured to the shelves with Velcro. Closed hooks are good for keeping hanging frames on the wall, which can also become hazards in a quake.
Once you have made your house safe, the next step to prepare for an earthquake is to devise a home earthquake plan. Find a safe area in every room of your house — usually an interior doorway or under a strong table is the best place. Practice often with children getting quickly to the safe area, away from heavy furniture and windows. Next, designate an out-of-town contact whom everyone can get a message to if family members are separated and there is a communication breakdown. Also, pick a spot outside of the house where the family can regroup after an earthquake.
One of the most important aspects of earthquake preparation is to stock an emergency supply kit. Your kit should include necessary medications, a first aid kit, food, water, clothing, bedding, a radio, a flashlight and batteries. Many experts say that the supply should get you through three to seven days, but some suggest supplies to last three months to a year. Children’s needs should not be forgotten, and emergency supply kits should include diapers, formula and comfort foods for both adults and children. Of course, this is only a partial list of the many things you may need to prepare for an earthquake — The Red Cross is an excellent resource for a more complete list.
It is a good idea to prepare in advance to be able to turn off potentially hazardous utilities in the moments immediately following an earthquake. Make sure you know where the turn-off locations are and how to turn them off. It is a good idea to include a wrench or the necessary tools in your emergency supply kit.
In order to prepare for an earthquake, you must predict some obstacles you may face in the aftermath. Widespread power outages may mean that banks and ATMs will not be able to function normally. For this reason, it is smart to have a small amount of cash on hand for emergencies. Copies of important documents, insurance information and a household inventory will also help you pick up the pieces in the aftermath. If your home is unlivable after an earthquake, it is also helpful to know where the closest emergency shelters will most likely be and to draw out maps on how to get there by car or on foot.
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![A home destroyed by an earthquake.]()
By: philnikA home destroyed by an earthquake. -
![Photocopies of personal documents, like social security cards and passports, should be kept in an earthquake kit.]()
By: AR ImagesPhotocopies of personal documents, like social security cards and passports, should be kept in an earthquake kit. -
![Water is an essential part of an earthquake kit.]()
By: monticelllloWater is an essential part of an earthquake kit. -
![A first aid kit containing bandaids should be included in an earthquake kit.]()
By: JPC-PRODA first aid kit containing bandaids should be included in an earthquake kit. -
![Stockpiling canned goods is a good idea in preparation for an earthquake.]()
By: Ðиколай ÐÑигоÑÑевStockpiling canned goods is a good idea in preparation for an earthquake. -
![A rechargeable light should be included in a disaster preparation kit.]()
By: krishnacreationsA rechargeable light should be included in a disaster preparation kit. -
![Keeping an emergency kit can help increase people's chances of surviving after a large earthquake.]()
By: LG ImagesKeeping an emergency kit can help increase people's chances of surviving after a large earthquake. -
![The Red Cross is an excellent resource for earthquake preparedness.]()
By: Pei LinThe Red Cross is an excellent resource for earthquake preparedness. -
![A peanut butter sandwich may be considered a comfort food for some children.]()
By: Marc DietrichA peanut butter sandwich may be considered a comfort food for some children.
Discussion Comments
@Chicada- Considering the minimal loss of life, and the magnitude of the earthquake, I am amazed at the Japanese earthquake safety measures that are in place. They saved an untold number of lives. I have watched shows on television about Japanese earthquake preparedness drills. That is serious national dedication. It is still sad that so many people perished. My thoughts go out to the families of those lost.
@Babalaas- There are few places with better earthquake preparedness than Japan. Honestly, the earthquake itself did not cause most of the damage; rather it was the tsunami that followed. Nuclear is still a safe form of energy, but there may be justified talk about the proximity of nuclear reactors to major fault zones after Japan begins to rebuild.
The reactors that suffered the most during this disaster are actually forty-years-old and were just approved for re-licensing. The country will be fine, and better reactors will likely replace the damaged ones. The country also has very strict rules about where reactors can be built. In Japan, reactors can only be built on solid bedrock to minimize the impacts of an earthquake. The problem with the Daishi reactors was loss of backup power and coolant leaks. The tsunami had inundated their backup generators and batteries rendering them operationally useless. The plants do have contingency plans, but whether they will work is still to be seen.
Preparation for an earthquake seems simple enough, but how do you prepare for a disaster in an area that has features that can amplify a disaster? I am asking this question on more of a national level rather than a personal level. How does a country prevent damage to things like nuclear reactors and dams that could cause massive losses of life should they fail?
The quake in Japan has seriously crippled a number of the country’s nuclear reactors creating a number of problems both in the near and far term. Did Japan have any safeguards in place to prevent a nuclear meltdown...more so than nuclear reactors in other countries? I read something that said the country gets about a third of its electricity from nuclear. How are they going to remedy this problem in the near term when it takes about five to ten years to build a nuclear power plant?
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