Every year, Southern California area experiences about 10,000 earthquakes. Not all of those are felt because they are small.That does not mean you shouldn’t be prepared. Unlike other natural disasters, earthquakes can come with little to no warning. Take a few of these tips so you are ready if an earthquake does strike suddenly.
Before An Earthquake
Prepare
This can be established by holding drills in your residence. This will help everyone learn where the safest places are to go during an earthquake in your house. Contact the office if you have any questions as to where the safest places in your community may be. It is best to familiarize yourself with the exit maps posted by the elevators or exits in your community. If you do not see any posted, please stop by the leasing office to obtain a map with exits to help keep yourself the safest during a natural disaster.
After going through the drills, walk around your apartment and check for items that may cause injury to you during an earthquake. Do you have a mirror above your bed or do you have large shelves that are not fastened to the walls? The kitchen is one of the most dangerous places to be during an earthquake. Dishes and other household items can fall out of cabinets and cause injury.
Put Together An Emergency Kit
Fill it with anything you would need to survive an earthquake without outside assistance for at least three days. Make sure you and anyone else you may be living with knows where it is and what is has inside. Here are a few essentials for your safety kit:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Individually wrapped alcohol swabs
- Aspirin and other medications
- Bandage strips
- Adhesive tape roll
- Ace bandages
- Scissors
- Gloves
- Matches
- Blankets
- Bottle water
- Nonperishable foods
- Flashlight and batteries
Replace anything perishable as necessary. Check your batteries on a regular basis to make sure they work.
During An Earthquake
If You Are Inside A Building
Stay where you are and drop onto your hands and knees. Cover your head and neck with your arms to protect yourself from falling objects. If possible, get under a wooden table.
If You Are In Bed
Stay there and cover your head and neck with a pillow to protect yourself. Do not get out of bed; just wait for the shaking to stop. However, if you have decorations such as mirrors or picture frames above your bed, you may want to move out of the way to avoid them falling on you.
If You Are Outside
Move away from buildings, streetlights, and any electrical wires. Then, drop and cover your head and neck with your arms if you are close to anything that could possibly fall on you. Remain there until the shaking stops.
If You Are In A Moving Vehicle
Safely pull over and stop the vehicle as quickly as possible and stay inside it. Try to avoid stopping near buildings, underpasses, or trees.
After An Earthquake
Once the shaking subsides, check for injuries and call for medical assistance as needed. Remember, an aftershock can happen at anytime, so you may need to drop and cover immediately again. If you suspect a gas leak, call for help immediately. Also, report it to the leasing office as soon as possible.
Be careful when leaving your apartment. There may be damage outside like fires or broken glass. Keep in mind that if the power is out in your building, it does not mean it is out everywhere, therefore, be extra careful of any hanging electrical wires outside.
Take any other necessary steps but make sure you learn from an earthquake. Is there something you could known prior to help you survive and avoid injury? Did you pick the safest place to duck and cover in your apartment? Continually re-educating yourself on earthquake safety will help you become more prepared for the next one.
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Source: fema.gov