Hazards

Earthquake  Safety Procedures

Before :: During :: After

Earthquake Terms

Before an Earthquake

• Check for Hazards in the Home

• Fasten shelves securely to walls

• Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves

• Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches

• Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit

• Brace overhead light fixtures

• Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks

• Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor

• Repair any deep cracks in ceilings or foundations. Get expert advice if there are signs of structural defects

• Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in closed cabinets with latches and on bottom shelves

Identify Safe Places Indoors and Outdoors

• Under sturdy furniture such as a heavy desk or table

• Against an inside wall away from where glass could shatter around windows, mirrors, pictures, or where heavy bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over

• In the open, away from buildings, trees, telephone and electrical lines, overpasses, or elevated expressways

• Educate yourself and family members

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During an Earthquake

If indoors

• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON on until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building

• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture

• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes, hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall (in that case, move to the nearest safe place)

• Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, load-bearing doorway

• Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside, research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.

• Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on

• DO NOT use the elevators

If outdoors

• Stay there

• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires

• Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops, the greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits, and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatalities from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury

• Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects

If in a moving vehicle

• Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle and avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires
• Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped and avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake

If trapped under debris

• Do not light a match
• Do not move about or kick up dust
• Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing
• Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

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After an Earthquake

• Expect aftershocks. These secondary shockwaves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake.
• Listen to a battery-operated radio or television and listen for the latest emergency information
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls
• Open cabinets cautiously and beware of objects that can fall off shelves
• Stay away from damaged areas and continue to stay away unless your assistance has been specifically requested by police, fire, or relief organizations. Return home only when authorities say it is safe.
• Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live in coastal areas. These are also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called "tidal waves"). When local authorities issue a tsunami warning, assume that a series of dangerous waves is on the way.
• Help injured or trapped persons Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance such as infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities
• Give first aid where appropriate, do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury and call for help
• Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately and leave the area if you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals
• Inspect the entire length of chimneys for damage because unnoticed damage could lead to a fire
• Inspect utilities
• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
• Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.
• Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.

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Earthquake Terms

Aftershock
An earthquake of similar or lesser intensity that follows the main earthquake.

Earthquake
A sudden slipping or movement of a portion of the earth’s crust, accompanied and followed by a series of vibrations.

Epicenter
The place on the earth’s surface directly above the point on the fault where the earthquake rupture began. Once fault slippage begins, it expands along the fault during the earthquake and can extend hundreds of miles before stopping.

Fault
The fracture across which displacement has occurred during an earthquake. The slippage may range from less than an inch to more than 10 yards in a severe earthquake.

Magnitude
The amount of energy released during an earthquake, which is computed from the amplitude of the seismic waves. A magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter Scale indicates an extremely strong earthquake. Each whole number on the scale represents an increase of about 30 times more energy released than the previous whole number represents. Therefore, an earthquake measuring 6.0 is about 30 times more powerful than one measuring 5.0.

Seismic Waves
Vibrations that travel outward from the earthquake fault at speeds of several miles per second. Although fault slippage directly under a structure can cause considerable damage, the vibrations of seismic waves cause most of the destruction during earthquakes.

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