Last month, two strong and deadly earthquakes shook Mexico killing more than 460 people. Those disasters serve as a tragic reminder of how unpredictable earthquakes can be and the importance of disaster preparedness, and knowing what to do before, during and after a significant earthquake. Having a plan, disaster supplies and practicing your response with your family could mean escaping serious harm.
As County Disaster Service Workers, we have an extra obligation after an earthquake: to report to our supervisors and assist those in need as directed. The only way to survive and reduce your chances for injury if a significant earthquake rattles the region, is to get prepared now.
The Great ShakeOut earthquake drill will take place next week, on 10/19 at 10:19 a.m. The annual event, held on the third Thursday of October, promotes earthquake preparedness. Participants take part in the mass earthquake drill wherever they are: at home, work, school or in the community.
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Residents, businesses, schools and other organizations can participate simply by going to the ShakeOut.org website and registering. To date, 9.5 million people have registered in California and more than 790,000 have registered in San Diego County.
Holly Crawford, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services, encourages County departments or employees to register if they plan to participate. Holding an earthquake drill is a good opportunity for employees to practice earthquake safety at work if possible and later with their families, she said.
If you work in a County department which cannot participate in the earthquake drill exactly at 10:19 a.m. on 10/19, you can still take the time to look around your workspace and figure out where the safest place would be to duck, cover, and hold on, in the event of an earthquake.
To help your family get prepared before an earthquake, hold your own drill at home. Every member of your family should know what to do during an earthquake: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Practice at least once a year as part of the Great California ShakeOut drill, but ideally more often and in different rooms of the house so that the reaction becomes automatic. A quick, practiced response can help in the stressful and frightening minutes after a quake hits.
Before an earthquake, check your home for hazards, such as items that could topple over onto someone from a high shelf or above. The goal is to secure breakables with wax or putty or rearrange them on a lower shelf, and to secure tall bookcases, televisions, wall art, or hanging mirrors with straps or special hanging hardware to prevent them from falling. All of this equipment can be found at most home improvement stores.
During an earthquake, the most important thing to do it to protect your head from items that might fall in the shaking. Drop, Cover and Hold under a sturdy table or desk. If you are not near a table or desk, drop to the ground and move away from any hanging fixtures, windows, glass, or furniture that could topple over, and sit up against an interior wall, while covering your head. For more tips, check out this helpful listprovided by Earthquake Country Alliance.
After an earthquake, it is important to be ready to seek cover again in the event of an aftershock. Check yourself and others for injuries. Assuming there are none, walk around the home or building and make sure there are no fires, which can sometimes ignite after an earthquake from ruptured gas lines. While walking around, be sure to sniff for gas as well. If the odor of gas is detected, the main gas line must be turned off. Turn the gas line off only if there is a leak or damage to the line because once it is off. Utility crews must turn it back on. If possible, check on neighbors.
To learn more about how to prepare for an earthquake, visit ReadySanDiego.org or ListoSanDiego.org and click on the earthquake symbol, or visit ShakeOut.org for information on how to hold a drill in schools, businesses, and homes, as well as posters, audio and video resources, and specific safety recommendations for people with disabilities or other access and functional needs.
