F A C T S H E E T
Federal Emergency Management Agency
E A R T H Q U A K E S
Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently and without warning. Identifying potential hazards ahead of time
and advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake.
Check for hazards in the home.
Identify safe places in each room. Have disaster supplies on hand.
Fasten shelves securely to " Under sturdy furniture such as a " Flashlight and extra batteries
heavy desk or table.
walls.
" Portable, battery-operated radio
" Against an inside wall. and extra batteries
Place large or heavy objects
on lower shelves. " Away from where glass could " First aid kit and manual
shatter around windows,
" Emergency food and water
Store breakable items such as
mirrors, pictures, or where book-
bottled foods, glass, and china in
cases or other heavy furniture " Nonelectric can opener
low, closed cabinets with could fall over.
" Essential medicines
latches.
" Cash and credit cards
Locate safe places outdoors.
Hang heavy items such as
" Sturdy shoes
In the open, away from build-
pictures and mirrors away from
ings, trees, telephone and electri-
beds, couches, and anywhere
cal lines, overpasses, or elevated Develop an emergency
people sit.
expressways. communication plan.
Brace overhead light fixtures.
In case family members are
Repair defective electrical
separated from one another
Make sure all family members
wiring and leaky gas connec-
during an earthquake (a real
know how to respond after an
tions. These are potential fire
possibility during the day when
earthquake.
risks.
adults are at work and children
Teach all family members how
are at school), develop a plan for
Secure a water heater by
and when to turn off gas, elec-
reuniting after the disaster.
strapping it to the wall studs and
tricity, and water.
bolting it to the floor.
Ask an out-of-state relative or
Teach children how and when
friend to serve as the  family
Repair any deep cracks in
to call 9-1-1, police, or fire
contact. After a disaster, it s
ceilings or foundations. Get
department and which radio
often easier to call long distance.
expert advice if there are signs
station to tune to for emergency
Make sure everyone in the
of structural defects.
information.
family knows the name, address
Store weed killers, pesticides,
and phone number of the contact
and flammable products
Contact your local emergency
person.
securely in closed cabinets with
management office or American
latches and on bottom shelves.
Red Cross chapter for more
information on earthquakes.
If indoors: Be prepared for aftershocks.
Inspecting Utilities in
Take cover under a piece of Although smaller than the main
a Damaged Home
heavy furniture or against an shock, aftershocks cause addi-
Check for gas leaks 
inside wall and hold on. tional damage and may bring
If you smell gas or hear a blowing or
weakened structures down.
Stay inside.
hissing noise, open a window and
Aftershocks can occur in the first
The most dangerous thing to do
quickly leave the building. Turn off the
hours, days, weeks, or even
during the shaking of an earth-
gas at the outside main valve if you can
months after the quake.
quake is to try to leave the building
and call the gas company from a
because objects can fall on you.
neighbor s home. If you turn off the gas
Help injured or trapped persons.
for any reason, it must be turned back
Give first aid where appropriate.
on by a professional.
Do not move seriously injured
If outdoors:
persons unless they are in imme-
Look for electrical system
Move into the open, away from
diate danger of further injury.
damage  If you see sparks or
buildings, street lights, and utility
Call for help.
broken or frayed wires, or if you smell
wires.
hot insulation, turn off the electricity at
Once in the open, stay there until
Listen to a battery-operated radio
the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If
the shaking stops.
or television for the latest emer-
you have to step in water to get to the
gency information.
fuse box or circuit breaker, call an
If in a moving vehicle: electrician first for advice.
Remember to help your neighbors
Stop quickly and stay in the
Check for sewage and
who may require special assistance
vehicle.
water lines damage 
 infants, the elderly, and people
If you suspect sewage lines are
Move to a clear area away from
with disabilities.
damaged, avoid using the toilets and call
buildings, trees, overpasses, or
a plumber. If water pipes are damaged,
utility wires.
Stay out of damaged buildings.
contact the water company and avoid
Once the shaking has stopped, Return home only when authorities
using water from the tap. You can
proceed with caution. Avoid say it is safe.
obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.
bridges or ramps that might have Use the telephone only for
been damaged by the quake. emergency calls.
Clean up spilled medicines,
Mitigation
bleaches or gasoline or other
Pets after
flammable liquids immediately.
Mitigation includes any activities that
an Earthquake
Leave the area if you smell gas or
prevent an emergency, reduce the
fumes from other chemicals.
The behavior of pets may change chance of an emergency happening, or
dramatically after an earthquake. lessen the damaging effects of
Open closet and cupboard
Normally quiet and friendly cats and unavoidable emergencies. Investing in
doors cautiously.
dogs may become aggressive or preventive mitigation steps now such as
Inspect the entire length of
defensive. Watch animals closely. Leash repairing deep plaster cracks in ceilings
chimneys carefully for damage.
dogs and place them in a fenced yard. and foundations, anchoring overhead
Unnoticed damage could lead to
lighting fixtures to the ceiling and
Pets may not be allowed into shelters
a fire.
following local seismic building
for health and space reasons. Prepare
standards, will help reduce the impact of
an emergency pen for pets in the home
earthquakes in the future. For more
that includes a 3-day supply of dry food
information on mitigation, contact your
and a large container of water.
local emergency management office.
EMERGENCY PUBLIC INFORMATION
September 1993
B A C K G R O U N D E R
WHAT IS AN EARTHQUAKE?
E A R T H Q U A K E S
An earthquake is a sudden, rapid
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
1. The best protection during an earthquake is to get under
shaking of the Earth caused by the
heavy furniture such as a desk, table, or bench.
breaking and shifting of rock
2. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at
beneath the Earth s surface. This
exits, and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatali-
ties from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when
shaking can cause buildings and
people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling
bridges to collapse; disrupt gas,
debris from collapsing walls.
electric, and phone service; and
3. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the
direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related
sometimes trigger landslides,
casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and
avalanches, flash floods, fires, and
falling objects.
huge, destructive ocean waves
(tsunamis). Buildings with founda-
tions resting on unconsolidated
landfill, old waterways, or other
unstable soil are most at risk.
Buildings or trailers and manufac-
tured homes not tied to a reinforced
foundation anchored to the ground
are also at risk since they can be
Earthquakes occur most frequently west of the Rocky Mountains, although historically the
shaken off their mountings during an
most violent earthquakes have occurred in the central United States. All 50 states and all
U.S. territories are vulnerable to earthquakes. Forty-one states or territories are at earthquake. Earthquakes can occur
moderate to high risk.
at any time of year.
HELP YOUR COMMUNITY GET READY
HOW THE PUBLIC CAN HELP
AFTER A DISASTER
The media can raise awareness about earthquakes by providing important
information to the community. Here are some suggestions:
When disaster strikes,
people everywhere want to
1. Publish a special section in your local newspaper with emer-
gency information on earthquakes. Localize the information by help those in need. To en-
printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices,
sure that this compassion
the American Red Cross, and hospitals.
and generosity are put to
good use, the media can
2. Conduct a week-long series on locating hazards in the home.
highlight these facts:
3. Work with local emergency services and American Red
Cross officials to prepare special reports for people with mobility
Financial aid is an immediate need of
impairments on what to do during an earthquake.
disaster victims. Financial contributions
4. Provide tips on conducting earthquake drills in
should be made through a recognized
the home.
voluntary organization to help ensure
5. Interview representatives of the gas, electric, and water compa-
that contributions are put to their
nies about shutting off utilities.
intended use.
Before donating food or clothing, wait
for instructions from local officials.
D I D Y O U K N O W . . .
Immediately after a disaster, relief
Many people think of California sensitive seismographs all over
workers usually don t have the time or
as  Earthquake Country, but the world. In the United States,
facilities to setup distribution channels,
the state with the most major several thousand shocks of
and too often these items go to waste.
earthquakes is Alaska. The varying sizes occur annually.
Volunteers should go through a
grandaddy of earthquakes was
recognized voluntary agency such as
along the New Madrid Fault in The effects of earthquakes are
the American Red Cross or Salvation
Missouri where a 3-month also measured by the Modified
Army. They know what is needed and
long series of quakes in 1811- Mercalli Intensity scale. The are prepared to deal with the need.
Local emergency services officials also
1812 included three quakes intensity of a quake is evaluated
coordinate volunteer efforts for helping
larger than a magnitude of 8. according to the observed
in disasters.
These quakes were felt over 2 severity of the quake at specific
million square miles. locations. The Mercalli scale Organizations and community groups
wishing to donate items should first
rates the intensity on a Roman
contact local officials, the American Red
The Richter scale was devel- numeral scale that ranges from
Cross, or Salvation Army to find out
oped by Charles F. Richter in I to XII.
what is needed and where to send it.
1935. It is a logarithmic
Be prepared to deliver the items to one
measurement of the amount The Loma Prieta (northern
place, tell officials when you ll be
of energy released by an earth- California) earthquake in Octo-
there, and provide for transportation,
quake. Earthquakes with a ber 1989 registered 7.1 on the
driver, and unloading.
magnitude of at least 4.5 are Richter scale and as high as XI
strong enough to be recorded by on the Mercalli scale.
EMERGENCY PUBLIC INFORMATION
September 1993