National Preparedness Month | Preparing for an Earthquake

September is National Preparedness Month. Prepper Folks wants you to be prepared. Not everyone can do everything, but there are many things that you can do to get ready. You can't know when an emergency is going to happen so it is time to get prepared now.

In the first of our series, we want to help you get prepared for an earthquake.

What: An earthquake is the sudden, rapid shaking of the earth, caused by the breaking and shifting of subterranean rock as it releases strain that has accumulated over a long time. Initial mild shaking may strengthen and become extremely violent within seconds. Additional earthquakes, called aftershocks, may occur for hours, days, or even months. Most are smaller than the initial earthquake but larger magnitude aftershocks also occur.

When: Earthquakes can happen at any time of the year and occur without warning.

Where: All U.S. states and territories are at some risk for earthquakes. The risk is higher in identified seismic zones.

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Impact: Larger earthquakes may cause deaths, injuries, and extensive property damage. Most casualties and injuries during an earthquake occur when: people fall while trying to walk or run during the shaking; when they are hit by falling, flying, or sliding household items or non-structural debris; and/or when they are struck or trapped by collapsing walls or other parts of the building. Transportation, power, water, gas, and other services may be disrupted. In some areas, shaking can cause liquefaction— when the ground acts more like a liquid. When this happens the ground can no longer support the weight of a building. In coastal areas, earthquakes under the sea floor can cause tsunamis.

How to Recognize That an Earthquake is Happening: You may experience a shaking or a rolling motion in the walls, floor, or ground. This movement may grow more extreme within seconds. If you do not DROP down immediately, you may be knocked off your feet. You may not be able to walk or run. Objects may fall off shelves, light fixtures may swing or fall from ceilings, or tall furniture may fall over. There may be dust or glass particles in the air or on the ground. You may hear noises similar to a heavy truck or train passing nearby.

Prepare Your Emergency Notifications

Although there is no advance notice of an earthquake, emergency information will be provided immediately after through radio and TV broadcasts and via Wireless Emergency Alerts texted to cell phones. In addition to commercial radios, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio broadcasts alerts and warnings directly from the National Weather Service for all hazards. You may also sign up in advance to receive emergency notifications from your local emergency services.

Download Be Smart. Know Your Alerts and Warnings for a summary of available notifications at: www.ready.gov/prepare.

Free smart phone apps, such as those available from FEMA and the American Red Cross, provide information about shelters, how to provide first aid, and how to seek assistance for recovery. (Search for the FEMA App or Red Cross Apps on your iPhone, android, or other mobile device). The U.S. Geological Survey manages the Earthquake Notification Service, which provides free notification emails when earthquakes happen in your area or anywhere in the world. Visit: https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens for more information.

Prepare Your Space

To prevent potential injuries, take the time to secure your space. Secure items that might fall, fly, or slide in an earthquake (see www.earthquakecountry.org/step1). Imagine if the room was picked up and shaken up and down and side to side and then determine what items would be thrown around. Periodically review the locations where you spend time—your home, workplace, or school—to look for potential hazards and secure them.

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Strengthen Your Building: Make sure your home and other buildings you spend time in are safer during earthquakes and more resistant to earthquake damage. Get professional help to assess the building’s structure and then take steps to install nonstructural solutions, including foundation bolting, cripple wall bracing, and reinforced chimneys. If you live in a mobile home, consider installing an earthquake- resistant bracing system. These measures can help reduce major damage to the building. If you are a renter, ask your landlord or property manager to make the necessary improvements to make the building safer. Examples of structures that may be more vulnerable in an earthquake are those not anchored to their foundations or having weak crawl space walls, unbraced pier-and- post foundations, or unreinforced masonry walls or foundations. Check with your local office of emergency management to ask if there are volunteer teams in your community to help with assessments. Visit www.fema.gov/earthquake-safety-home for guidance on nonstructural ways to reduce damage and earthquake resistant structural design or retrofit.

Prepare Yourself and Your Family

Practice: Everyone should know what to do in an earthquake and should practice how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Join the Great ShakeOut and America’s PrepareAthon! to practice how to protect yourself and to help spread the word. Visit www.shakeout.org and www.ready.gov/prepare to learn more. Learn and practice first aid skills and emergency response skills through training such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program.

Gather Critical Documents: Once the immediate danger passes, having your legal, financial, and medical documents will help you to receive assistance and work with your insurance company. Take time now to safeguard critical documents and take pictures or videos of your belongings. Download Be Smart, Protect Your Critical Documents and Valuables for a checklist. www.ready.gov/financialpreparedness.

Discuss: Talking about disasters and helping others prepare makes everyone safer. Discuss what you have done to prepare with your family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues.

Store: Gather and store the basic supplies your family would need for at least three days if grocery stores and other services are unavailable, if power is out, or you are unable to stay in your home. A sustained power outage can have a significant impact on people who require electricity to power medical equipment, so make sure that you have a plan to take care of yourself and your family during an outage.

Develop a Communications Plan: Your family may not be together when an earthquake hits, so it is important to know how you will contact one another and how you will get back together in case of an emergency. Landline and cellular phone systems are often overwhelmed following a disaster, so you may need to use text messaging or social media to communicate with family and friends. Keep important numbers written down in your wallet in case you cannot access the contact list in your phone. For more information, including a sample household communications plan, visit www.ready.gov/make-a-plan. 

For more information, download the document from FEMA.