A family gets ready for a future earthquake with a practice drill.
Why do we need earthquake safety tips? Well, there is one reality that all of us who live in the San Francisco Bay Area have come to accept: there will be earthquakes. Recent rattlers have reminded the ClimatePro team of just how important it is to be prepared as or future earthquakes. An earthquake can happen without notice, so being prepared beforehand will determine if we will be able to protect our family, homes, and businesses. As one US government website notes: “The best time to prepare for any disaster is before it happens.”
Having an earthquake preparedness plan in place is a must for Bay Area homeowners and businesses. We’d like to provide you with a few earthquake safety tips to help you to prepare your family and home or office for a future earthquake.
Earthquake Safety Tips: Prepare Your Family
- Have an evacuation plan: This can include knowing how to evacuate from the different rooms in a home. An evacuation plan should include choosing a designated outdoor meeting place. Choose a location where the likelihood of being hit by debris is minimal. Be sure to discuss a second exit route for each room. Be mindful of equipment needed to escape, including ladders.
- Have easy to find fire extinguishers on each level of the home. A multi-purpose ABC extinguisher is recommended.
- Educate your family on how to turn off utilities: gas, water, and electricity. If tools are needed to turn off utilities, make sure the tools are located in close proximity, preferably next to or attached to the utility controls.
- Keep flashlights in easily accessible places throughout the home and schedule reminders to update batteries.
- Prepare an emergency disaster kit. The kit can include canned food, dried fruit, first aid kit, extra flashlight, water supply (Ideally, 3 gallons per person), dust masks, battery-operated radio, clean clothes, important documents (passports, prescriptions, DPA, contact list, etc.)
- Have an emergency contact person outside of the area. If the family is not together during an earthquake, each family member can contact this person to confirm that all family members are safe.
- Never let your car’s gas tank go below half full.
Prepare Your Home & Office
- Properly store large or heavy objects on lower shelves in cabinets and in garages. Breakable items should be stored in closed cabinets.
- Make sure that pictures, mirrors, and shelves are securely fastened to walls.
- Keep electrical wiring and gas connections in proper working order. Repair frayed wiring and gas connections that might be easily disturbed in the event of an earthquake. Flexible pipe fittings can help to avoid water and gas leaks.
- Store household chemicals in a safe place. It has been recommended that chemicals, like cleaning solutions, pesticides, and flammable products, be stored in secure cabinets and containers.
- Regularly maintain large trees and remove any overhanging tree limbs that could come in contact with your home or office.
- Keep large objects away from doorways, ie. refrigerators, copiers and washing machines.
- Have an emergency evacuation plan in place for your employees and schedule a seasonal practice session.
- Have 3M Safety Series Window film professionally installed. We’d love to help you secure your windows!
Additional resources:
Keeping Your Family Safe During an Earthquake – Safety.com
Department of Homeland Security – Earthquakes
How To Prepare for an Earthquake – FEMA
Prepare Your Organization for an Earthquake – FEMA
Emergency Preparedness Kit – AARP
