Are you at increased risk from earthquakes?• Contact your local emergency management office, local American Red Crosschapter, state geological survey or department of natural resources.

• Mobile homes and homes not attached to their foundations are at particular riskduring an earthquake.

• Buildings with foundations resting on landfill and other unstable soils are atincreased risk of damage.

Did you know?Doorways are no stronger than any other part of the structure. During an earthquake,get under a sturdy piece of furniture and hold on. This will provide some protectionfrom falling objects that can injure you during an earthquake.

� Become aware of fire evacuation andearthquake plans for all of the buildingsyou occupy regularly.

� Pick safe places in each room of yourhome, workplace and/or school. A safeplace could be under a piece of furnitureor against an interior wall away fromwindows, bookcases or tall furniture thatcould fall on you.

� Practice drop, cover and hold on in eachsafe place. If you do not have sturdyfurniture to hold on to, sit on the floornext to an interior wall and cover yourhead and neck with your arms.

� Keep a flashlight and sturdy shoes by eachperson’s bed.

� Make sure your home is securelyanchored to its foundation.

� Bolt and brace water heaters and gasappliances to wall studs.

� Bolt bookcases, china cabinets and othertall furniture to wall studs.

� Hang heavy items, such as pictures andmirrors, away from beds, couches andanywhere people sleep or sit.

� Brace overhead light fixtures.

� Install strong latches or bolts on cabinets.Large or heavy items should be closest tothe floor.

� Learn how to shut off the gas valves inyour home and keep a wrench handy forthat purpose.

� Learn about your area’s seismic buildingstandards and land use codes before youbegin new construction.

� Keep and maintain an emergency supplieskit in an easy-to-access location.

If you are inside when the shakingstarts …

� Drop, cover and hold on. Move as little aspossible.

� If you are in bed, stay there, curl up andhold on. Protect your head with a pillow.

� Stay away from windows to avoid beinginjured by shattered glass.

� Stay indoors until the shaking stops andyou are sure it is safe to exit. If you mustleave the building after the shaking stops,use stairs rather than an elevator in casethere are aftershocks, power outages orother damage.

� Be aware that fire alarms and sprinklersystems frequently go off in buildingsduring an earthquake, even if there isno fire.

If you are outside when the shakingstarts …

� Find a clear spot and drop to the ground.Stay there until the shaking stops (awayfrom buildings, power lines, trees,streetlights).

� If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clearlocation and stop. Avoid bridges,overpasses and power lines if possible.Stay inside with your seatbelt fasteneduntil the shaking stops. Then, drivecarefully, avoiding bridges and ramps thatmay have been damaged.

� If a power line falls on your vehicle, donot get out. Wait for assistance.

� If you are in a mountainous area or nearunstable slopes or cliffs, be alert forfalling rocks and other debris. Landslidesare often triggered by earthquakes.

Let Your Family Know You’re SafeIf your community experiences an earthquake, or any disaster, register on the American RedCross Safe and Well Web site available through RedCross.org to let your family and friendsknow about your welfare. If you don’t have Internet access, call 1-866-GET-INFO to registeryourself and your family.

Be RedCrossReadyEarthquake Safety Checklist

How can I prepare? What should I do during anearthquake?

Whatdo Idoafter anearthquake?

An earthquake is a sudden, rapidshaking of the earth caused by thebreaking and shifting of rockbeneath the earth’s surface.Earthquakes strike suddenly,without warning, and they canoccur at any time of the year, day ornight. Forty-five states andterritories in the United States areat moderate to very high risk ofearthquakes, and they are located inevery region of the country.

For more information on disaster and emergency preparedness, visit RedCross.org.

� After an earthquake, the disaster maycontinue. Expect and prepare forpotential aftershocks, landslides or even atsunami. Tsunamis are often generatedby earthquakes.

� Each time you feel an aftershock, drop,cover and hold on. Aftershocks frequentlyoccur minutes, days, weeks and evenmonths following an earthquake.

� Check yourself for injuries and get firstaid, if necessary, before helping injured ortrapped persons.

� Put on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt,sturdy shoes and work gloves to protectagainst injury from broken objects.

� Look quickly for damage in and aroundyour home and get everyone out if yourhome is unsafe.

� Listen to a portable, battery-operated orhand-crank radio for updated emergencyinformation and instructions.

� Check the telephones in your home orworkplace to see if you can get a dial tone.Make brief calls to report life-threateningemergencies.

� Look for and extinguish small fires. Fireis the most common hazard after anearthquake.

� Clean up spilled medications, bleach,gasoline or other flammable liquidsimmediately.

� Open closet and cabinet doors carefully ascontents may have shifted.

� Help people who require specialassistance, such as infants, children andthe elderly or disabled.

� Watch out for fallen power lines or brokengas lines and stay out of damaged areas.

� Keep animals under your direct control.

� Stay out of damaged buildings.

� If you were away from home, return onlywhen authorities say it is safe to do so.Use extreme caution and examine walls,floors, doors, staircases and windows tocheck for damage.

� Be careful when driving after an earthquakeand anticipate traffic light outages.

Copyright © 2009 by the American National Red Cross | Stock No. 658515

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