Preparing Your Home and Family for an Earthquake

The news coming out of Japan is startling. I really can’t comprehend such a devastating, world-changing event. I pray I never will.

However, I must admit that after my initial time reading and thinking about the tragedy in Japan, my thoughts turned closer to home. I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of dread for myself and my family when I read in the same article that the Pacific Northwest is one of the regions “due” for a major earthquake.

We do live in a tectonic zone where continental plates collide. Scientists know that earthquakes have occrred here for centuries, some of them massive, and that they will occur again.

I’m an East Coast girl. I grew up with hurricanes, coastal flooding and a blizzard or two. I spent my young adulthood in the Midwest where I got used to the idea of tornadoes and snow that doesn’t melt until April. However, I’m new to the West Coast.

So, the other day, after reading about Japan, I decided as a new West Coast resident – and a parent – I should probably figure out what to do in the case of an earthquake.

“I highly suggest that people participate in the Map Your Neighborhood Program,” said Stephanie Day, City of Kirkland emergency preparation coordinator. “The program allows you to connect with your neighbors and plan for an emergency as a team. You determine who has kids, pets or elderly members who may need help in an emergency. The program encompasses all elements of disaster preparation and allows neighbors to take care of each other in an emergency.” 

The program helps neighbors to establish a map of the shut-offs in their neighborhood, key equipment neighbors have that may be useful in an emergency, information about who may need extra help, contact information and more. For more information or for Map Your Neighborhood materials, call 425-587-3650.

“Being a parent myself,” Day added, “I think it is essential to have a communication plan. If your kids are at school when an earthquake hits, how are you going to get in touch with them? Having an out-of-area contact is an easy thing to do ahead of time to help you reconnect with your family and save you some worrying during a disaster.” 

There is a lot more information out there -- more than I can include here (although I have links to sources below). Here is a summary of what I found on the Federal Emergency Management Agency and City of Kirkland websites:

How to prepare for an earthquake:

1. Make sure your home is anchored to its foundation. Some homes built before 1975 were not anchored to their foundation. However, in an earthquake, the house can shift on – or off – the foundation causing danger to residents and property, and possibly making the house uninhabitable. If your house is not anchored, or if you’re not sure, contact Project Impact to learn how to get your house retrofitted.
2. Make your house relatively shake-proof. Anchor tall furniture or leaning décor, strap your water heater to the wall and bolt it to the floor, reinforce light fixtures and heavy wall hangings, make sure there aren’t heavy wall hangings above beds or seating, affix smaller items on shelves with temporary adhesive, fix any loose gas lines or electrical cables, store poisons and flammables on the bottom shelf of securely latched cabinets, etc.
3. Make a communication plan. After an earthquake (or any natural disaster, for that matter), local phone and Internet may be down. Therefore, you will most likely be able to reach someone out of the area before you can, for example, contact your kids’ school. Emergency preparedness experts recommend identifying an out-of-area emergency person who you and your family members know to contact in order to communicate through. Make sure each of you know the name, address and contact information for that person.
4. Learn to work your shut-offs. After an earthquake, infrastructure can be damaged, creating a risk of fire or water damage. Be sure each member of the family knows where to find shut-offs for water, gas and electric, and how to work them.
5. Stock your property with an emergency supply kit. On a typical day, Kirkland has about 30 first responders on call. For a city of 80,000 (after annexation), that’s not too many. So, in the case of a disaster, it is likely that residents will have to fend for themselves initially. If electricity, gas and/or water are not working for an extended period, this time could be difficult. However, a stash of emergency supplies can help you survive. Emergency kit recommendations include enough water for three days, canned or packaged food, a manual can opener, first aid kit, portable radio, flashlight, spare batteries, essential medications, cash and credit cards, and sturdy shoes. The city of Kirkland has a comprehensive list of recommendations.
6. Identify safe places in each of the rooms you and your family members frequent. Research shows that most injuries in an earthquake are caused when someone tries to move around while the ground is shaking. Experts recommend only moving a few footsteps to seek shelter under a sturdy piece of furniture such as a table or load-bearing door frame. Since earthquakes happen without warning, you must be able to act immediately. A good way to be able to do this is by identifying the safest place in each room ahead of time so you and your family members know where to go if and when the time comes.

So, you’ve done the planning. You are as ready as you can be. Now, what should you actually do if and when an earthquake strikes?

The key is to DROP, COVER and HOLD ON. According to FEMA:

If you are inside, stay inside and don’t move far. Drop beneath a sturdy desk or table if you are near one. If you aren’t near something sturdy, drop to the ground and do your best to protect your neck and head. Stay away from glass, windows, outside walls and anything that can fall. If you’re in bed, stay in bed and protect your head with a pillow. Do not use an elevator.

If you are outside, stay outside and move away from buildings, electric wires and street lights. The greatest danger is along the outside of buildings and at exits because of falling debris.

If you are driving, stop as quickly as you safely can and stay clear of bridges, overpasses or ramps.

While this week has been a tragic reminder of the dangers of a major earthquake, it is good to know there are specific things we can do to keep our families as safe as possible. While researching and writing this article, I’ve already learned where my house shut-offs are and made a mental note to move my daughter’s crib away from the window. I also plan to learn more about the Map Your Neighborhood program and make sure we have bottled water and a battery operated radio ready.

There is no point living in fear of an earthquake. However, there is a lot we can do to be safer and more prepared.  I’ll feel a lot better knowing we’ve done what we can to keep our kids – and ourselves – safe.

For more information about how to prepare for an emergency, call 425-587-3650 or check these resources: FEMA; City of Kirkland; and 3 Days, 3 Ways.