Earthquakes

While we tend to link earthquakes to California, you live in an earthquake zone if you live anywhere west or just east of the Rockies. If you live along the Mississippi River in the New Madrid region, well, that's an earthquake zone, too. And what about the southern Appalachians? Yes. New England? Yes. Alaska? Absolutely.

It's never too early to prepare and you can take several basic steps right now to protect your family and your home from disaster.

Prevent flying objects

If you're handy with a hammer and screwdriver, you can secure appliances, furniture and keepsakes yourself. Otherwise, contact a contractor to help secure your home.

• Anchor large items such as appliances, bookcases and water heaters to nearby walls using safety cables or straps. Lock the rollers of any large appliances or pieces of furniture.
  
  
• Install latches on drawers and cabinet doors to keep contents from spilling.
  
  
• Install ledge barriers on shelves, and place heavy items on lower shelves.
  
  
• Store breakable items such as glasses, china and poisonous materials such as pesticides in low, closed cabinets with latches.
  
  
• Use closed screw eyes and wire to securely attach pictures and mirrors to the walls, away from places that people might sit.
  
  
• Attach computers and small appliances to desks, tables or countertops.
  
  
• Secure ceiling lights, suspended ceilings and other hanging items such as chandeliers and plants to the permanent structure of your house.
  
  
• Apply safety film to windows and glass doors.
  
  
• Fit all gas appliances with flexible connections and/or a breakaway gas shut-off device, or install a main gas shut-off device. (Check your local building codes to determine whether you may install flexible connectors yourself or whether a professional must install them.)
  
  

Plan ahead: retrofit

An earthquake puts your home's structure to the test. It must absorb the earthquake's energy and provide a stable path to transfer these forces back into the ground.

Your home is more likely to pass this test when it's properly put together. Be sure that:

• The roof is attached tightly to the walls
• The walls are fastened to each other
• The walls are braced and anchored to a strong foundation

 If the structural elements of your home need reinforcing, some of the most important and common retrofits include:

• Adding anchor bolts or steel plates between your home and its foundation
  
  
• Bracing the inside of your home's cripple wall (the short wood-stud wall between the top of the foundation wall and the first floor) with sheathing
  
  
• Bracing loose chimneys, masonry, concrete walls and foundations
  
  

Before making any structural changes to your home, check with your local building officials to be sure what you're doing complies with local building codes.

Experts agree that structures built to meet or exceed current model building codes have a much better chance of surviving an earthquake.

Work involving your home's structure tends to be quite complex and generally requires the expertise of a registered design professional, such as an architect, engineer, or a licensed building contractor.

Act quickly, but don't panic

When an earthquake strikes, your safety depends on staying calm and reacting quickly. Remember,

• Don't panic
  
  
• If you're inside when an earthquake strikes, stay there. Move away from windows, skylights, doors and things that could fall. Look for a sturdy item such as a table or desk to get under. Duck, cover and hold until the shaking stops.
  
  
• If you're outside, move quickly and safely into the open, away from electrical lines, trees and buildings. Drop to the ground and wait for the shaking to stop.
  
  
• If you're driving, carefully and slowly bring your vehicle to a stop at the side of the road away from traffic. Don't stop on or under bridges, under power lines or near roadway signs that might fall. Once the shaking has stopped, you can continue driving, but watch carefully for possible damage to the roadway.
  
  
• Be aware that the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.
  
  
• Don't use elevators.
  

 

After an earthquake, what you do is equally important.

If you're trapped under debris:

• Don't light a match or lighter
  
• Don't move about or kick up dust
• Cover your mouth with a piece of clothing
• Tap on a pipe or wall so emergency rescuers can find you. If you yell, you may inhale large amounts of dust

 

Once you're sure you and your family are OK:

• Check for gas or water leaks and electrical shorts, and turn off damaged utilities. Don't try to turn them back on yourself. Have the fire department or gas and electric companies turn the utilities back on when the area is secure.
  
  
• Obey evacuation orders from local authorities.
  
  
• Only use a telephone for emergency calls.
  
  
• Be prepared for aftershocks.
  
  

This information is meant to help you make decisions that may reduce your risk. Of course, we can't note every possible risk, and we can't guarantee that these tips will work for you. However, we hope that if you use some of them, you'll better protect your family and yourself.

Contact your insurance agent to make sure you're properly covered if a catastrophe strikes.

Are earthquakes happening in your area?