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You may not live in an earthquake-prone part of the country, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have to deal with one at some point in your life.
While people in movies and television shows tend to deal with earthquakes by just shouting “Earthquake!” and running around their homes, that’s not the safest way to deal with a natural disaster.
And, if you do live in an earthquake hotspot, it’s even more important that you prep your home just in case one happens in the middle of the night or when you’re out of town.
Read on to learn how you should prepare yourself and your home for an earthquake (and please, don’t run around yelling “Earthquake”).
This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised to find out the number of people who live in earthquake zones, like California, and don’t do this.
Fasten shelves securely to the walls, including bookshelves and desks.
It’s important if you have young children to really make sure the furniture in their rooms is secured to the wall, as an earthquake could cause furniture to fall on top of them.
It looks nice to have artwork or paintings above the bed, but you really don’t want it accidentally falling on you in your sleep.
Move pictures and mirrors away from any place it could fall and hit your head, and make sure to brace hanging light fixtures.
There are a couple of things you can do to prevent your breakable items from crashing to the ground during an earthquake.
One is to move them to lower shelves and cabinets. Another is to invest in a putty that will keep your breakables secured to the shelf, which you can find at Home Depot.
Find a room in the house that is safe and secure — aka not near glass windows, under sturdy furniture, etc. — that you and your family know to go to during an earthquake.
Having a plan of action will prevent you from panicking and it will also keep your family safe.
Create a disaster supplies pack with everything from a flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, food, water, and even cash.
Keep this kit in your “safe room” and make sure it’s stocked with everything you think you may need, should the worst-case scenario happen. It always pays to be prepared!
