Earthquake Survival Tips

We hope this relatively short article on earthquake survival will help those who experience a quake. Unlike hurricanes, tornadoes, or practically any other natural disaster, we never know when an earthquake is going to occur. Perhaps an earthquake's greatest danger lies in the fact that it can occur almost at once. If you live in a location that's prone to earthquakes, preparation before the event is certainly the key point to consider...

MAKING PREPARATIONS AND SECURING YOUR HOME Keep food and water supplies on hand. You should be prepared to take care of yourself and loved ones for a period of 72 hours. This is how long it is estimated for help to arrive, as they have to deal with the same predicaments as you. Create a family disaster plan. Discuss with your family the types of disasters that could occur. Explain to your kids how to prepare and respond to each type of disaster. Print the plan for everyone.

Post emergency telephone numbers by every phone. Teach children how and when to call 911, police, fire department, and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.

Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water. Define Your Safety Zone: against inside walls, under sturdy tables or desks, in stout doorways. This is especially important for children to know and do. Have more than one place where everyone can meet and an order in which to go there. One will be your home, but you should have a second in case there's a problem. It should be a safe distance from your house in case of a home fire, and a place outside your neighborhood in case you can't immediately return. Choose an out-of-state friend as a check-in contact for everyone to call.

Find out about earthquake plans developed by your children's school or day care. Remember, transportation may be disrupted. Locate your nearest fire and police stations and emergency medical facility. Develop the habit of thinking, "If an earthquake happened right now, what would you do?" This will prepare you to react and not be surprised when it happens. And it will aid with your preparations. Look around your house for things that could fall or move. Collapsing walls, flying glass and falling objects cause most quake-related injuries and deaths. Ask yourself the following questions:

What may happen if your cupboard doors fly open during a quake, allowing dishes or other objects to fall out?
Is the TV and stereo fastened down and are shelves fastened to walls?
Do you have hanging plants or light fixtures that might fall?
Is there a heavy picture or mirror on the wall over your bed?

Know the danger spots. Secure all tall and heavy furniture that could topple over, such as bookcases, china cabinets or wall units. Hang heavy pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit. Keep breakables or heavy objects on bottom shelves. Secure a water heater by strapping it to wall studs and bolting it to the floor. Make sure you have a properly installed and working smoke detector in your home/apartment. Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in cabinets with latches or on bottom shelves.

EARTHQUAKE SURVIVAL KIT

The Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommend you self-equip with everything on their list. Prepare 4 Disaster offers various pre-packaged kits that contain a large number of products on their lists. Here is a list of suggested kits:

Prepare 4 Disaster Suggested Survival Kits
Item Number		Product Description
KEX1		Deluxe Emergency Backpack Kits (1 Person)
KEX4	Deluxe Emergency Backpack Kits (4 Person)
KEC1	Economy Backpack Kits (1 Person)
KEC4	Economy Backpack Kits (4 Person)
KEX1P	Deluxe Emergency Honey Bucket (1 Person)
KEX4P	Deluxe Emergency Honey Bucket (4 Person)

This is an abbreviated version of Earthquake Survival Tips. To download the entire document and other valuable documents about earthquake preparedness, survival tips and safety watch the 2-minute tour above.