8 Steps to Prepare for an Earthquake With Printable Checklist

This week is the annual Shake Out drill, the largest organized earthquake drill in the world.  On Thursday October 17th at 10:17 am, participants will simulate an earthquake wherever they are by dropping to the ground, taking cover, and holding on for 60 seconds.  Unlike a drill, real earthquakes strike without warning and can be devastating to buildings, roads, and anyone near them.  But there are steps you can take before an earthquake occurs that can minimize the effects of the quake when it happens.  What can you do now to prepare for an earthquake?

1.  Make a plan.  Decide how your family is going to communicate if you are not all together when the earthquake hits.  Locate safe spots in each room under a sturdy table or against an inside wall.

2.  Secure appliances.  The trouble with shaking appliances is that they are usually attached to utilities in your home like gas, electrical, and water lines.  If they shake enough these lines can rupture, causing more damage and increasing the hazard level of your home.  Appliances like your water heater, stove, furnace, and refrigerator should be anchored to the floor or wall studs.

3.  Secure shelves.  Anchor the entire shelving unit to the wall or floor if possible.  Keep heavy things low on shelves or on the floor.  Build “fences” across the front of shelving units to hold your items on the shelf through the shaking.  Installing cupboard doors or latches on existing cupboard doors can help keep your belongings from falling out.  This is also applicable to your food storage!  Having those heavy, fragile, glass mason jars you canned tomatoes and peaches in fall of the shelf would create a huge mess besides ruining all the food.

4.  Secure furniture and electronics.  All heavy furniture that could topple, such as bookcases, curio cabinets, or televisions should be anchored to a wall or floor.

5.  Secure hazardous liquids.  Keep flammable liquids and poisons like weed killers, pesticides, solvents, paints, and even bleach and other cleaning products secured in a cabinet and outside the home if possible.

6.  Decorate with earthquake safety in mind.  Keep decorations located where they will not fall on people.  Place beds away from windows and heavy hanging pictures or mirrors.  Secure decorative items to shelves.  Crystal clear museum wax works great.  Hang pictures and mirrors using hooks instead of nails.  Here’s a hook specifically designed to be hard for a picture to shake off of.  Secure potted plants that are hanging or sitting on a high shelf and could fall or swing to injure someone.

7.  Check your home’s structure.  Replace old wiring and gas or water lines that could break easily.  Be sure any heavy light fixtures or ceiling fans are installed securely.  Remove any old masonry chimneys that could fall through ceilings or walls.  Perform any necessary repairs for added structural stability.

8.  Hold earthquake drills with your family.  Drop to the ground, get under something sturdy like a table or desk, and hold on for at least 60 seconds.

Click here for a printable checklist to get your family prepared for an earthquake!

Keep preparing!
Angela

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