How to Establish an Earthquake Preparedness Plan?

What are the consequences of a Strongsocks, blankets or sleeping bags, and even a tent.
Earthquake?13. Work gloves and protective goggles.
Your home may have some level of structural14. Heavy-duty plastic bags for waste and to
damage to foundations, cripple walls, anchorage ofserve other uses.
walls to the floor or roof, masonry chimney, andHow to Prepare a Financial Recovery Kit?
around the garage opening or large windowCopies of your essential financial documents
openings if soft story conditions are met. On theshould be kept in a fire-proof document safe in
other hand, damage to non-structural elementsorder to be available after a damaging earthquake.
and contents is most likely to occur to interiorConsider purchasing a home safe or renting a
partitions, exterior wall panels, suspended ceilings,safe deposit box. Copies of essential documents in
electrical and mechanical equipment, ducts, waterthis financial recovery kit shall include:
and gas pipes, water heaters, hanging objects,
furniture, home electronics, dishes, etc. In the1. Picture identifications, birth certificates, social
meantime, electrical, gas, water and sewage, andsecurity cards, naturalization papers or residency
transportation systems are most likely to bedocuments, passports, driver licenses, marriage
disrupted for several days, weeks, or evenlicense or divorce papers, child custody papers,
months after a strong earthquake. Emergencyand power of attorney papers.
response agencies and hospitals will likely be2. Medical prescription and records.
over-whelmed and unable to provide immediate3. Mortgage, home improvement records,
assistance. To help your family cope during andhomeowner and auto insurance policies, and
after future inevitable earthquakes, you shouldearthquake insurance policy.
establish, update, or maintain your own4. A list of phone numbers for your financial
earthquake preparedness plan now.institutions and credit card companies.
What is an Earthquake Preparedness Plan?5. Bank statements and financial records, credit
Earthquake preparedness is to know how tocard numbers, and certificates for stocks, bonds,
setup various disaster plans before aand other investments.
moderate-to-large earthquake hits your area, and6. A list of your household inventory and
how to react during and after the earthquake.possessions with photos and videos. Appraisals of
The objective is to protect yourself and yourvaluable jewelry, art, and antiques. This item is
family from destructive earthquakes as well as toparticularly important for earthquake insurance
minimize the earthquake damage to your homeclaims.
and its contents. Seismic retrofitting and contents7. Deeds, titles, and other ownership records for
mitigation are two major components ofproperty such as homes, autos, recreation
earthquake preparedness that will be discussed invehicles, and boats.
separate articles. Disaster management and8. A backup of critical files on your computer. A
disaster recovery during and after the earthquakelist of names, phone numbers, and e-mail
will also be discussed in another article. In thisaddresses of critical personal and business
article, you will learn how to prepare personalcontacts.
survival kits, a household emergency kit including9. Wills or trust documents.
emergency food and water for two weeks, a10. Emergency cash.
financial recovery kit, and other essentialOther Emergency Preparedness Items
emergency preparedness items.
How to Prepare Personal Survival Kits?1. Provide all family members with a list of
For each household member; keep one survivalimportant contact phone numbers including a
kit at home, another in the car, and a third kit atdesignated out-of-area emergency contact person
work/school. Backpacks or other small bags arewho can be called by everyone to tell where they
best for survival kits. These kits are collections ofare.
first aid, survival, and emergency supplies that2. Locate a safe place outside your home to
shall include:meet your family after the shaking stops.
3. Determine where to live if your home cannot
1. Medications, prescriptions list, medical insurancebe occupied after an earthquake.
cards copies, doctors' names and contact4. Know about the earthquake preparedness plan
information.developed by your children's school or day care.
2. First aid kit and handbook, dust mask, sturdy5. Keep a working flashlight and sturdy shoes next
shoes, and whistle.to everyone's bed.
3. Spare eyeglasses or contact lenses and cleaning6. Install smoke alarms, test them monthly, and
solutions.change the battery once a year.
4. Personal hygiene supplies.7. Buy a fire extinguisher, put it in an easily
5. Bottled water, snack foods high in calories, andaccessible location, and get training in how to use
toiletries.it properly.
6. Working flash-light with extra batteries and light8. Keep needed tools near utility shutoffs and
bulbs.learn how to turn off electricity, water, and gas.
7. Extra cell phone battery and charger.Only turn off the gas if you smell or hear leaking
8. Emergency cash and road maps.gas.
9. Copies of personal identification, and list of9. Identify safe spots in every room, such as
out-of-area emergency contact phone numbers.under sturdy desks and tables, then practice
10. Games, crayons, writing materials and teddy"drop, cover, and hold on" with your family
bears for children.specially children. Learn how to protect your head
How to Prepare a Household Emergency Kit?at all times during earthquake shaking.
Store a household emergency kit in an easily10. Determine the best escape routes from your
accessible outdoor location other than the garage.home and from each room.
This kit which complements your family's personal11. Take a Red Cross first aid and
survival kits should be in a large watertightcardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training
container that can be easily moved and shouldcourse.
hold at least one week (ideally two weeks)If you live in California
emergency supplies of the following items:You should participate in the annual Great
California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. You can
1. A minimum of one gallon per person per day ofregister at now for the 2010 ShakeOut Drill on
drinking water.October 21 at 10:21 a.m.! It is a great opportunity
2. Emergency food that is canned and packaged.to learn how to protect yourself and your family
3. Cooking utensils including a manual can opener.during earthquakes, and to get prepared. More
4. Charcoal or gas grill for outdoor cooking andthan 6.9 million Californians participated in the
matches.second annual earthquake drill in 2009.
5. Pet food and pet restraints.Concluding Remark
6. First aid supplies and medications.The 2010 Haiti earthquake is a wake up call for
7. Essential hygiene items such as soap,anyone who lives in an active seismic region to
toothpaste, and toilet paper.establish, update, or maintain their own
8. Extra car and house keys.earthquake preparedness plan. In the United
9. A wrench and other basic tools.States, these regions include -but not limited to-
10. Working flash-light with extra batteries andAlaska and the West Coast especially California;
light bulbs.the Midwestern States especially Illinois, Kentucky,
11. A portable battery-operated radio with spareMissouri, and Tennessee around the New Madrid
batteries.and the Wabash Valley Seismic Zones; and the
12. Comfortable warm clothing, baby items, extraCharleston area in South Carolina.