January 7th, 2010

Earthquake Preparedness. Since San Diego has recently experienced a wave of small earthquakes from Baja California and Mexicali, it got me thinking about my earthquake kit and what I may need add or replace. I thought this would be a good time to share with you some tips on being prepared in the event of a large earthquake.

If a large earthquake is to occur, depending upon where you are will determine where you should be! If you are outside, stay away from trees, electrical poles, buildings and signs. If you find yourself next to buildings in a downtown area, duck into a doorway to avoid falling glass and debris. If you are in a public place, do not rush for exits and stay away from display shelves and other items that may have the potential of falling. In the home you should avoid being around large furniture ittems, the refrigerator, cupboards and stove. If you are driving, stop you car, stay in the vehicle and wait until the shaking stops. Try to avoid over passes, trees and power lines. It sounds like commons sense, but people tend to panic in scary situations and it is good to have a refresher course! It has been a while since I have been in grade school and learned to crawl under my desk!

Earthquakes last for very short periods of time. It may seem like an eternity while they are happening, but normally, the shaking only lasts for 40-50 seconds. There may be aftershocks felt after a large earthquake, which are normally smaller in magnitude and the ground shaking for a shorter period of time.

Once a large earthquake has occurred will be the time when things are confusing and there may be a lot of damage. It is important to assess your surroundings and remain calm. Check for any injuries and get first aid to anyone who may be in need. Check for fires. Turn off gas to your home, it is possible for the lines to have broken or cracked which may cause a fire. Remember not to use matches, candles or the fireplace in case of a gas leak. Check both power and water lines and if there is damage, turn both off as well.

There are items you will want to have for your earthquake preparedness kit. You will find these items to come in handy if power, gas and water lines are damaged. It could take a while for things to get back to normal, and having the necessities in a place where every member of your family knows where to get the necessities in case of emergency!

• Water-it is recommended that you store 5 gallons of water per person. Be sure to include your pet as one of those people! A good storage container is one that is sealable. You can find good water containers at camping and survival stores. The water that you buy from the store does not come in containers fit for long term storage. Private water companies do have the nice 5 gallon jugs which they state have a storage life of up to 5 years. Keep them in a cool, dark location.
• Dry and canned food-Consider keeping 7 days supply of food per person (and pet!). Some good items to have on hand are canned meats or fish. Canned soups and fruit. Instant potatoes and rice. Instant hot cereal and pancake batter. Dehydrated milk, coffee, soda, Gatorade and fruit juices. Nuts, peanut butter dried fruit and jerky also make for easy storage. Be sure and rotate out these foods every six months to ensure their freshness.
• Flashlights-be sure you have batteries available that will keep light available for up to 7 days. You may also want to have propane lanterns and a small generator. 



• Cooking- you will want to have a barbecue with briquettes or propane available to do your cooking. A camp stove with propane or backpacking stove will work as well. Make sure you have a manual can opener to open your cans!  DO NOT USE THE FIREPLACE as there may have been damage or broken gas lines. Do not use these items indoors as it may cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Radio-you will need to know what is going on to get things back to normal, so a transistor radio with good batteries is good to have on hand.
• Fire Extinguisher-a dry chemical type with a minimum size rating of 2A-10BC is recommended, with an earthquake restraining strap, hose type nozzle and a metal head.
• First Aid Kit-make sure the first aid kit holds supplies that are currently dated. It is recommended these items are rotated every 6 months. Be sure to include aspirin, cold medicine, antibiotic ointment hydrogen peroxide. Large and small band aids, ACE bandages, gauze pads, cotton swabs and adhesive tapes.

After an earthquake everyone will feel the stress of the experience. Especially your children. They may be afraid of being left alone or have trouble sleeping. They may not want to go to school and you may notice behavioral changes. Make sure you sit down with everyone in your family and talk about the situation. Assure everyone they are safe and together. Be sure and share your feelings as well. Give lots of hugs and kisses and reassure them of their safety. It was a scary experience for everyone!

Take the time to be prepared. Create a family earthquake plan. Discuss the different scenarios of where each family member may be if an earthquake hits. If your family is separated, make sure there is one person out of the area that each member of the family can contact to check in safe and know the other family members are safe as well. Have a specific location the family can reunite if you are separated.

It may take a little bit of time to put this all together. It is better to start today and not need any of it than not have anything together if an earthquake does occur.

Earthquake preparedness. A little preparation may save a lot of stress in the event of an emergency! Take the time. Be prepared!