Earthquake Preparedness
Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood, workplace or school or can confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services -- water, gas, electricity or telephones--were cut off?
The best way to stay safe is to be prepared before disaster strikes. Depending on the nature of the emergency, your local officials cannot reach everyone right away. The best way to make your family and your home safer is to be prepared before an emergency or disaster strikes.
It is important to remember that the first 72 hours after an earthquake are critical. Electricity, gas, water, and telephones may not be working. In addition, public safety services such as police and fire departments will be busy handling serious crises.
You should be prepared to be self-sufficient—able to live without running water, electricity and/or gas, and telephones—for at least three days following a quake.
Earthquake preparedness is essential in California.
The
State of California
and the
U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program
and offer extensive information on preparedness for your home and your family. Just follow the links for more information on preparing for an earthquake.
Emergency Planning for Your Family
The best way to stay safe is to be prepared before disaster strikes. Depending on the nature of the emergency, your local officials cannot reach everyone right away. The best way to make your family and your home safer is to be prepared before an emergency or disaster strikes.
Just like having a working smoke dector, preparing for the unexpected make sense. Get Ready Now. Ready.gov* provides resources for home, work and school. You can also visit Ready Kids and FEMA for Kids to prepare children in a fun and interactive way.
The American Red Cross also provides a wealth of information on preparation for all types of disasters, and the Interactive Zone at the Red Cross website includes activities to engage youngsters in emergency prepardness. "Ready For the Big One?" is special online feature offered by Sunset magazine.
Three Steps for Disaster Planning
1) Make a Plan
Create a family communications plan that includes an evacuation plan and coordinates with your school, work and community communication plans. Practice this plan with your entire family.
2)
Prepare a Kit
Build a disaster supplies kit that includes enough supplies for each family member for three days. Remember to check your kit every six months.
3)
Be Informed
Learn what disasters or emergencies may occur where you live, work and play and how they can affect you, your family and community.
Identify how authorities will notify you and how you will get important information. Learn what you can do to prepare by contacting your local chapter of the American Red Cross to ask about first aid, CPR and disaster training.
In addition to having supplies on hand, every household should have a list of emergency phone numbers: doctor's daytime and evening numbers, and the nearest emergency room and poison control center. Having a copy of vaccination records on hand for every family member, as well as information about who's taking what medication, is also a good idea.
Resources are now available to assist people with special needs.
Along with the
American Red Cross
, which provides many resource tools to supply emergency preparedness information to people with disabilities, the
National Organization on Disability (NOD)
provides numerous guides, tips, checklists and strategies for reaching people with disabilities as well.
If you are like millions of animal owners nationwide, your pet is an important member of your household. Keep in mind that what's best for you is typically what's best for your animals. Make a back-up emergency plan in case you can't care for your animals yourself. Preparing for your pets makes sense, is prepared by Ready.
*Ready (www.ready.gov) is a national public service advertising campaign produced by The Advertising Council in partnership with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Ready Campaign is designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. Individuals interested in more information about family and business preparedness can visit
www.ready.gov
or call 1-800-BE-READY to receive free materials.
