How to Prepare for an Earthquake

Develop a disaster response plan for your home and workplace. You need to know what you and your family will do before the earthquake occurs. Everyone should participate in planning and regularly review it. The first crucial step is to know what to do at the moment the earthquake strikes. The plan should include the following steps:

• Identify the safest places to take cover in your home. Under sturdy tables and within solid door frames are safe spots. If no protection is available, lie on the floor next to a wall inside the house, protecting your head and neck. Stay away from large furniture, mirrors, exterior walls, windows, kitchen cabinets, and anything heavy that is not securely fixed.
• Teach everyone how to signal for help if trapped. Rescue teams will listen for sounds when searching collapsed buildings, so you should tap three times in succession or blow a whistle if available.
• Practice until you're confident. Regularly practice your emergency plan – you only have seconds to react during an actual earthquake.

Practice the "duck low, protect your head and body, hold tight" principle until it becomes second nature. When an actual earthquake occurs, this will be your first line of defense. Drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy table, and hold on tight. Brace yourself for shaking and falling objects. Practice this in every room of your home, ensuring you're familiar with safe areas to shelter, no matter where you are when an earthquake strikes.

• If you're outside, move to an open area away from anything that could fall or collapse, such as trees and buildings. Duck low and protect your head from falling debris. Stay in place until the shaking stops.

Learn basic first aid skills and CPR, or ensure at least one person in the household is trained in these techniques. You can take a first aid course through local community programs. The local Red Cross offers monthly classes that teach basic skills to handle injuries and respond to common emergencies.

• If you can't attend a class, consider buying a first aid manual and storing it in your emergency kit. A basic medical first aid kit is also helpful.

Decide on a family assembly point after an earthquake. This location should be far from buildings. Clearly define what your family should do if not everyone can make it to the assembly point. If there are designated safe gathering spots for residents (as planned by the city), make sure everyone knows the nearest gathering point to your home, school, or workplace.

• Designate a person outside the earthquake zone to contact, such as a relative living elsewhere. If for any reason, people in your family cannot reach each other, remember to call this person for coordination on the assembly point. In the U.S., you can use FRS and GMRS radios (Family Radio Service and General Mobile Radio Service, with GMRS requiring FCC approval) to communicate. Phone lines might be congested during a disaster. Some FRS and GMRS radios can broadcast up to 65 km!

Know how to turn off utilities in your home, especially the gas supply. A broken gas line can lead to a dangerous gas leak, posing a serious risk of fire or explosion if not handled properly. It's essential to learn how to control these utilities so you can quickly respond if you smell gas.

Compile an emergency contact list and distribute it to everyone. This list should include everyone in your household or office, etc. You need to know who to contact and how to reach them if you're unable to locate them. Besides regular phone numbers, each person should provide an emergency contact number. You should also include:

• The names and phone numbers of neighbors
• The name and phone number of the landlord
• Important health information
• Emergency phone numbers such as fire, ambulance, police, and insurance.

Plan your route and options to return home after an earthquake. You can never predict exactly when an earthquake will happen. You might be at work, school, on a bus, or on the subway at the time; therefore, it's important to identify several alternative routes home since roads and bridges might be blocked for an extended period. Pay attention to potentially hazardous structures like bridges and find ways around them in case of emergencies.

Prepare an emergency supply kit in advance, ensuring everyone in the household knows where to find everything. The worst-case scenario is that an earthquake could trap everyone indoors for several days, so you must ensure you have everything necessary to survive at home.

• If your family is large (4-5 people or more), consider preparing multiple kits and storing them in various locations throughout the house.

Stock up on enough food and water to last at least 3 days. You’ll need 4 liters of water per person, plus extra for emergencies. Don't forget to include a can opener. You can buy any non-perishable food you prefer, such as:

• Canned goods like fruit, vegetables, beans, tuna
• Biscuits and savory snacks
• Camping food staples

Buy flashlights and a hand-crank radio or regular flashlights with extra batteries. It’s a good idea to have a flashlight for each person in the household. Also, purchase a battery-powered portable radio. There are many solar or crank-powered models worth buying, so you never have to worry about running out of batteries.

• Consider buying glow sticks, matches, and candles as backup options.

Assemble a first aid kit. This is one of the most crucial items in your emergency supply kit and should include the following essentials:

• Bandages
• Antibiotic ointment and alcohol pads
• Pain relievers
• Broad-spectrum antibiotics
• Anti-diarrheal medication (important to prevent dehydration in emergencies)
• Scissors
• Gloves and dust masks
• Needles and thread
• Splint materials
• Elastic bandages
• Latest prescriptions
• Water purification tablets

Gather basic tools for handling emergency situations within your home. You might need to assist rescue teams or clear debris trapping you inside your house. Your emergency tool kit should contain:

• Wrench for turning off the gas supply
• Sledgehammer
• Work gloves
• Crowbar
• Fire extinguisher
• Rope ladder

Stock up on comfort items to make the emergency situation more bearable. While the aforementioned items are essential for survival, the following extras can make your emergency kit more complete if time and budget allow:

• Pillows and blankets
• Closed-toe shoes
• Plastic bags
• Disposable cutlery, plates, and cups
• Cash
• Personal hygiene items
• Games, card sets, favorite toys for kids, writing materials, etc.
• A scanner (could help you stay informed about ongoing events and emergency services)

Secure large objects to the walls and floors. There are several common hazards within the home that you can address before an earthquake strikes. In fact, the greatest danger often comes from falling objects, but fortunately, these injuries can be prevented with some careful preparation:

• Anchor shelves and cabinets to the walls.
• Secure bookcases and tall furniture to the walls using brackets and screws. Standard steel brackets are quite sturdy and easy to install.
• Place heavy objects on lower shelves or directly on the floor. They are more likely to fall during an earthquake, and the shorter the drop, the less damage they cause. You can also screw items into furniture like desks.
• Use anti-slip mats to prevent low-center-of-gravity items like fish tanks, vases, sculptures, etc., from sliding.
• Use clear nylon cords to tie heavy, tall items that could fall into walls. Install hooks in the wall, wrap the cord around the object (such as a vase), and secure it tightly to the hooks.

Apply protective film to windows to prevent shattering. In an emergency, you can tape an 'X' shape with adhesive tape across the glass to avoid it breaking into shards. Areas prone to earthquakes often recommend using such protective measures, but it's always best to double-check for your safety.

Store fragile items (bottles, cups, porcelain, etc.) in cabinets with secure latches. Lock the doors to prevent them from opening. Use adhesive putty or museum wax to secure decorative and glass objects to shelves and mantels.

• There are even earthquake-resistant putties that allow you to fix items without compromising aesthetics.

Remove or secure hanging items near sleeping areas. Heavy pictures, lighting fixtures, and mirrors should be placed away from beds, sofas, and other seating areas. Ordinary picture hooks may not hold during an earthquake, but you can reinforce them by securing the hooks tightly to the wall or using caulk to seal the gap between the hook and the wall. Alternatively, you can buy specialized picture hooks and ensure heavy artwork is secured with strong hooks and wires.

Consult experts, landlords, or local authorities to assess the earthquake resistance of your home. Repair any deep cracks found in ceilings or floors immediately. Seek expert advice if you notice any signs of structural weakness. Ensure the foundation is securely anchored and meets local building codes.

• Install flexible connectors on the gas lines. This task should be carried out by a professional. It's also a good idea to install flexible connectors for water pipes, so consider repairing both at the same time.
• If your home has a chimney, secure it to the walls with metal straps and braces at the top, middle, and bottom of the chimney. You can attach the braces to the walls and ceiling beams or rafters if present. For chimneys extending above the roofline, anchor them to the roof.
• Inspect electrical wiring, appliances, and gas connections. Repair them as needed. Improperly secured electrical connections and wires can cause fires during an earthquake. When securing electrical devices, avoid drilling holes in the equipment – use existing holes or secure them with straps, etc.

Work with the community to identify gathering points, conduct response training, and form support groups. If your area lacks a dedicated earthquake response team, advocate for its formation. The first step in ensuring everyone's safety is education.

• Check out Mytour articles on how to survive during an earthquake, how to react outdoors during an earthquake, and how to respond in an earthquake for more information on what to do when an earthquake strikes. Preparing for natural disasters is always useful.
• Ensure that the gas lines are securely closed, and do not turn on the lights after the earthquake!
• If possible, avoid living near large fault lines or mountain ranges in earthquake-prone areas. Not only will your house suffer more damage, but the likelihood of being unable to return home after an earthquake also increases.
• If you don't know how to repair your house or don't have the skills, ask for help. Get assistance from neighbors or family members, or call a skilled and reasonably priced repair service. Look for reputable plumbers and electricians to fix the electrical and plumbing systems in your home.
• Keep a pair of shoes, a flashlight, and some nutritional bars under your bed. You should also keep similar items in your work or classroom desk (at work, make sure to have a pair of comfortable walking shoes).

• NEVER leave your home while an earthquake is happening, under any circumstances. Wait until all the tremors have stopped.

• Matte adhesives are available at hardware stores, stationery shops, and supermarkets. Some antique stores also carry suitable types of matte adhesives.
• Anti-slip mats or pads, available at hardware stores.
• Brackets to secure furniture to the walls and/or support stands.
• Flashlight and spare batteries.
• First aid kit.
• Non-perishable food and enough water for two weeks for everyone in the household.
• Portable radio and backup batteries.
• Clothing for at least 3-5 days.
• Entertainment such as board games or books that don’t require electricity.
• Emergency contact numbers and shelter information, if phone services are available.
• Emergency kit.