Disaster Survival

Earthquake

They're said to be our most terrifying disaster. In addition to the overwhelming force they pack into their brief lifespan (a 45-second 7.0 earthquake has a seismic power roughly equivalent to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atom bombs), they come with essentially no warning. Literally one moment you could be sleeping; the next your entire house could be shaking and you could be flying across your bedroom. All the more reason to have your preparations firmly in place long before the action starts.

Click here to see the incredible footage of a university "shake-table" test, demonstrating what the inside of a house looks like during an earthquake.

Special Equipment

  • Earthquake flashlight In earthquakes the power tends to go out very suddenly. That's why a lot of savvy Californians prefer rechargeable wall-socket-mounted flashlights [link to our store or product site for Garrity brand]. Not only are they guaranteed to work when you need them, they come with a nifty beacon feature that turns on automatically as soon as the grid goes down, and helps guide the way to safety.
  • Earthquake pajamas It only sounds goofy until you've been through an earthquake. If you live in a quake-prone area, get in the habit of never going to bed without tucking a comfortable pair of shoes and season-appropriate change of clothes under your bed near your pillow. You'd be amazed at how many people end up cutting their feet stumbling around in the dark after an earthquake looking for shoes and a pair of pants.

Oh No, Not Again

A lot of earthquake victims find that the even harder than the quake itself is the terror that grips them during the aftershocks. It can help if you brace yourself ahead of time to expect these post-quake tremors. After all, almost every major earthquake has them, sometimes for just a day or two, sometimes for months. Each time you feel another set coming on remind yourself that it's all part of the same deal and, just to be safe, follow the same drill outlined in "Hold Tight," below.

Earthquake-Proofing Your House

With a few minor modifications the typical American wood-frame house stands up surprisingly well to an earthquake. If you live in a newer home in California, your house is already likely built to the latest earthquake codes. If you live in an older home or another less obvious risk area, it's important to have a structural engineer [note: it would be cool link to some sort of structural engineer association website; I can help find later] inspect your house to see if you need to undertake any of the following structural retrofits. And everyone should pay special attention to the measures for securing the house's contents. There are no codes to protect against falling bookcases and light fixtures. That's your job.

Foundation Bolts
While wood has enough give to usually keep the frame of a house from collapsing, the frame may slide off its base if the bolts attaching it the foundation aren't sturdy enough. Having your contractor upgrade from standard-issue to earthquake-code-quality foundation bolts should cost no more than about $TK00.

Shear Walls
[I need to get a little more info to be able to write this entry]

Hot Water Heater Straps and Flexible Gas Lines
Get a licensed plumber to replace metal gas lines with flexible tubing that won't snap and cause a gas leak when the shaking starts. He can also strap the water heater to the wall so it won't topple over. Or you can follow these easy instructions for doing it yourself. [http://earthquakestore.com/secure_water_heater.html]

Automatic Gas Shut-Off Valve
A handy $90 little device, this valve that can keep your house from exploding. It actually contains a mini seismometer that as soon it senses the first tremor sends a signal to turn your gas off.

No Chandeliers
Heavy ornate light fixtures (or for that matter, anything heavy hanging from the ceiling) are definitely out of style in earthquake country.

Furniture Bolted to the Walls
Heavy furniture like armoires and television sets should all be bolted to the walls. Special earthquake DIY fastening kits can be had for less than $20.

Hold on Tight
When the shaking starts, a lot of people's first reaction is to try to run and escape. "But you can't run," says U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Susan Hough. "That's what people don't kind get - the doorway's going to be a moving target you can't physically walk because the ground's moving so much." So what can you do? Hough and the other experts at the USGS and FEMA suggest the following:

To see more of Dr. Bob's interview with Susan Hough, click on this clip here. [link]

  • Roll out of bed If you're sleeping when the quake hits, your best bet is to roll out of and underneath your bed. If you can't fit, just lie as close to the frame and mattress as possible, which will provide a small triangle of protection if the ceiling starts to fall.
  • Crawl under a table If you're anywhere near a table, crawl under it - and hold onto one table leg to keep it from toppling over.
  • Find a strong wall. The next safest spot would be on the inside of one of the exterior, or load-bearing, walls of your house. Press your back flat against the wall and cover your head.
  • DON'T try to go outside. If you're inside, just stay put in one of the positions above until the shaking stops. Exiting the building will only put you at risk of getting hit by falling roof tiles and debris.
  • Look out for power lines and shattering glass. If you're outside, first look up. If you're anywhere near power lines or a tall glass building, do whatever you can to run, lunge, or even dive as far away from it as possible. Once you're in a secure spot, crouch as low to the ground as you can and cover your head.
  • Pull over. A car is actually a pretty safe place to be in an earthquake, as long as you're not on a bridge or elevated highway. Just make sure you're clear of any potential falling hazards, then pull over to the side of the road, put on your parking break, and sit tight.

The Hiding In Doorways Myth

A lot of people say that the safest place to hide in an earthquake is under a doorway. In reality, this one is just a holdover from the early days of California when most homes were made of adobe bricks. Back then, often the only parts of the houses still standing after quakes were the wooden doorframes. But when was the last time you saw an un-reinforced adobe house? In most modern homes the interior doorways are no sturdier than other parts of the structure and do little to protect you from falling debris.