How to Prepare For Survive an Earthquake

Are you prepared? Do you know if you live in an earthquake zone? What the likelihood is? What apps to have ready? What equipment? How to prepare your home? There is a 62% chance San Francisco will have a 6.7 or worse earthquake by the year 2032.
There is a 17-20% chance the Pacific Northwest will be hit by a magnitude 8 or greater in the next 50 years.

1. Prepare for, Survive, and Live After an EARTHQUAKE

2. The USGS puts out a map of the likelihood of an earthquake in every part of the country. The link is further in this slideshow How Likely Is An Earthquake In Your Area?

3. Note That ‘Induced’ Earthquakes Are Becoming More Common Fracking contributes to this.

4. There is a 62% chance San Francisco will have a 6.7 or worse earthquake by the year 2032. There is a 17-20% chance the Pacific Northwest will be hit by a magnitude 8 or greater in the next 50 years. Likelihood

5. No building is earthquake proof. As important as the building, is the foundation and the ground its built on. Below is Whidbey Island where we lived for a number of years. The ground is dirt and sand. One of those lines on the previous page runs right through this spot. What is your house, your workplace, your school, built on? Preparation: Your Home

6. USGS Earthquake Information This page lists latest earthquakes; statistics; catalog, real-time feeds and notifications and information by region. https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/earthquakes

7. It’s too late to prepare once the earthquake occurs. This sounds trite, but after every earthquake, most people list these following items as things they wished they had. Not only for the earthquake itself, but as importantly, for living afterwards in the chaos. What To Have Ready BEFORE!

8. If it’s not secured, it can move. Secure everything hung on walls with a closed hook to a stud. Anchor your furniture. Secure TVs, stereos, computer monitors. What is on your shelves? Your windows should be made of safety glass or cover them with shatter-resistant film. Ceiling fans and lights should be double-secured with an anchor chain. Water heaters should be strapped to the closest wall. Preparation: Your Home

9. Enough for at least three days. Minimum is one gallon per person, per day. Double that for warm climates. 8 average 500ml water bottles is just over one gallon. A case of water (24 bottles) is the minimum three days supply per person. I recommend at least two cases per person. Ever notice one of the first things brought in afterward is water? WATER

10. Keep a flashlight within reach of your bed. It’s also recommended you keep a pair of shoes under your bed that you can quickly put on in the dark (think broken glass). If you are using an LED rechargeable flashlight (left), make sure to keep it charged! Flashlight & Spare Batteries

11. There are plenty of prepared ones you can buy. Below is one I have in house and in grab-n-go bags. Make sure you have medications to last a week. Extra glasses, contacts, etc. First Aid Kit

12. Know what the emergency broadcast stations are. Survival Radio

13. Make sure it’s charged and everyone knows where it is. Fire Extinguisher

14. Using my Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide you can do an Area Study and tailor your GnG bags to your specific situation and environment. However, to be prepared, a basic, well-stocked, pre-made one is a good idea just to get started. This is what I bought my son immediately when he moved to San Diego.

15. Power will be out. ATMs won’t work Store computer systems will have crashed. It will be a cash environment for a while. Until it’s a Zombie environment. I’d have you click on image, but instead, go to your ATM now. CASH

16. In addition to a basic tool set. A Pipe Wrench and an Adjustable Wrench

17. How to turn off the water coming into the house. How to turn off the power. Where the safe spots in the house are. Where the family IRP— Immediate Rally Point—outside the house where all will gather is. Also, where the ERP- emergency rally point— is if the IRP is not available. Who the out of area, emergency point of contact is for the entire family. This is the person everyone checks in with if they can’t contact each other in the disaster zone. If phone numbers aren’t memorized, have them written down! Everyone in your household needs to know:

18. Duck and cover. Get under something sturdy. Stay against an inside wall. Do not go near windows or outside until shaking stops. Only doorways that are in load-bearing walls are safe. Do not hold onto your pet— they’re smarter than you and will find a safe place. If in bed. Stay there. Unless you have that heavy mirror directly overhead. BTW always have shoes and flashlight within reach of your bed. The shoes are key because of broken glass. During An Earthquake If Indoors.

19. If driving, keep driving until you reach a safe place. Do not stop on or under an overpass, on bridges or any place that can collapse or close to a place that could fall over like a building. As far as buildings go, the older it is, the more likely to collapse. Brick building are particularly dangerous. Stay away from power lines. Stay in the vehicle. If in a parking garage get out. During An Earthquake If Driving.

20. Get clear of anything that can collapse. Watch out for downed powerlines. Stay away from outside walls. Stay away from windows that could blow out. Be careful of gas leaks as pipes will break. Do not use open flame. During An Earthquake: If Outside

21. In event of an earthquake immediately evacuate if you live in a tsunami zone. Do not stop to gather any belongings. Get to higher ground. GET OUT. After An Earthquake: Tsunami

22. Do not light a match. Don’t move too much as you can cause further collapse. Tap on something, preferably a pipe, with something hard, rather than yell as you could inhale toxic dust. If you can see light and have a path, crawl toward it. If you encounter vertical rubble, check to see if it is load bearing before moving anything. During An Earthquake: If trapped.

23. More Free Information I’ve put all the links to free apps, all gear mentioned and web pages on my web site at www.bobmayer.com Go to the GEAR page There are also free books on my web site, updated daily.

24. New York Times bestselling author, a graduate of West Point and former Green Beret. He commanded a Green Beret A-Team and also served in a variety of other positions. He was a certified instructor at the JFK Special Warfare Center & School which trains Green Berets and also runs the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school. www.bobmayer.com