How to be prepare

for an Earthquake
By Nhu Nguyen, Bel Villa, Rita Anderson , Austin Whittle, Liliana Sevilla
An earthquake is the
sudden, rapid shaking of Happen Happen Cause Cause
the earth, caused by the
breaking and shifting of
Happen Happen without Cause fires and Cause tsunamis,
underground rock. anywhere – warning; damage roads; landslides, and
Earthquakes can cause though higher avalanches.
buildings to collapse and risk areas
cause heavy items to fall, include
California,
resulting in injuries and Alaska, and the
property damage. Mississippi
Earthquakes can Valley;
 Before earthquake

Teach everyone in the

Secure major appliance to
family how to turn off the Repair loses roof shingles
walls, such as refrigerators
water and electricity

Keep heavy items on lower
shelves
Discuss earthquake
insurance with your
insurance broker. Check
Keep household chemicals
your coverage could affect
away from heat
your financially ability to
recover losses after an
earthquake
  Earthquakes occur without any warning and
may be so violent that you cannot run or crawl;
you therefore will most likely be knocked to the
ground where you happen to be. So it is best to
Drop, Cover, drop before the earthquake drops you, and
find nearby shelter or use your arms and hands
then Hold to protect your head and neck. “Drop, Cover,
and Hold On” gives you the best overall
chance of quickly protecting yourself during an
earthquake… even during quakes that cause
furniture to move about rooms, and even in
buildings that might ultimately collapse.
Drop

where you are, onto your hands

and knees. This position protects
you from being knocked down
and also allows you to stay low
and crawl to shelter if nearby.
Cover

COVER Crawl
•COVER your •If a sturdy table
head and neck or desk is
with one arm nearby, crawl
and hand underneath it
for shelter

Crawl Stay on
•If no shelter is •Stay on your
nearby, crawl knees; bend
next to an ov er to protect
interior wall v ital organs
(away
from windows)
Hold on

HOLD ON until
shaking stops

Under shelter: hold No shelter: hold on

on to it with one to your head and
hand; be ready neck with
to move with your both arms and
shelter if it shifts hands.
What not to
do during
an
Earthquake
DO NOT run outside or to other rooms
during shaking
 The area near the exterior walls of a building
is the most dangerous place to be. Windows,
facades and architectural details are often
the first parts of the building to collapse. To
stay away from this danger zone, stay inside if
you are inside and outside if you are outside.
Also, shaking can be so strong that you will
not be able to move far without falling down,
and objects may fall or be thrown at you that
you do not expect. Injuries can be avoided if
you drop to the ground before the
earthquake drops you.
DO NOT stand in a
doorway
 An enduring earthquake image of California is a
collapsed adobe home with the door frame as the
only standing part. From this came our belief that a
doorway is the safest place to be during an
earthquake. True- if you live in an old, unreinforced
adobe house or some older wood frame houses. In
modern houses, doorways are no stronger than
any other part of the house, and the doorway
does not protect you from the most likely source of
injury- falling or flying objects. You also may not be
able to brace yourself in the door during strong
shaking. You are safer under a table.
 Create a family emergency communications plan.

COLLECT. Create a paper copy of the contact information for your

family and other important people/offices, such as medical facilities,
doctors, schools, or service providers.
SHARE. Make sure everyone carries a copy in his or her backpack,
purse, or wallet. If you complete your Family Emergency
Communication Plan online at ready.gov/make-a-plan, you can
print it onto a wallet-sized card. You should also post a copy in a
central location in your home, such as your refrigerator or family
bulletin board.
PRACTICE. Have regular household meetings to review and practice
your plan.
 FAMILY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PLAN HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION
Home #: ........................................................... Address:. Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other #
or social media: ................................... Email: ............................................................... important medical or
other information: .....................................................................................
Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social media: ...................................
Email: . Important medical or other information: ........... .......................................................................... Name:
..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social media: ................................... Email:
............................................................... Important medical or other information: ...........
.......................................................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social
media: ................................... Email: . Important medical or other information: ...........
.......................................................................... SCHOOL, CHILDCARE, CAREGIVER, AND WORKPLACE
EMERGENCY PLANS Name: . Address: ............................................................ Emergency/Hotline #:
....................................... Website: ........................................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up:
FAMILY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PLAN HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION
Home #: ........................................................... Address:. Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other #
or social media: ................................... Email: ............................................................... Important medical or
other information: ........... .......................................................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #:
........................ Other # or social media: ................................... Email: . Important medical or other
information: ........... ..........................................................................
Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social media: ................................... Email:
............................................................... Important medical or other information: ...........
.......................................................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social
media: ................................... Email: . Important medical or other information: ...........
.......................................................................... SCHOOL, CHILDCARE, CAREGIVER, AND WORKPLACE
EMERGENCY PLANS Name: . Address: ............................................................
Emergency/Hotline #: ....................................... Website: ...........................................................
Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: .................................
 96 HOURS EMERGENCY KIT
Make a supply kit that
includes enough food and
water for at least three days,
a flashlight, a fire extinguisher,
and a whistle. Consider each
person’s specific needs,
including medication. Do not
forget the needs of pets.
Have extra batteries and
charging devices for phones
and other critical equipment.
 Recommended Items

•Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking
and sanitation

•Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

•Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
and extra batteries for both
•Flashlight and extra batteries

•First aid kit

•Whistle to signal for help
•Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to
shelter-in-place
•Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
•Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
•Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
•Local maps
 Earthquakes damage housing
foundations and collapse walls.
But It doesn’t
cover
Deductibles for earthquake
earthquake, insurance can be even more
expensive than a standard
for: homeowners insurance from 5-15% of
the policy limit.

Ex: If the structure of your home is

insured to $500,000, the quake
insurance deductible will typically
amount to 15% of that, or $75,000.
WHAT TO DO AFTER: Be Safe

Expect Expect aftershocks to follow the largest shock of an earthquake.

Check yourself for injury and provide assistance to others if you have
Check training.

If in a damaged building, go outside and quickly move away from the

Go building.

Do not enter Do not enter damaged buildings.

If you are trapped, cover
If you are in an area that
your mouth. Send a text,
may experience tsunamis,
bang on a pipe or wall, or
go inland or to higher
use a whistle instead of
ground immediately after
shouting so that rescuers
the shaking stops.
can locate you.

Once safe, monitor local

news reports via battery
operated radio, TV, social
Save phone calls for
media, and cell phone
emergencies.
text alerts for emergency
information and
instructions.
Reference:

 https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes
 https://www.fema.gov/media-
library/assets/documents/133447https://www.fema.gov/media-
library/assets/documents/133447
 https://www.shakeout.org/dropcoverholdon/
 http://www.getprepared.gc.ca
 http://www.earthquakecountry.org/dropcoverholdon/#rescuers
 https://www.utah.gov/beready/family/get-a-kit.html