<< continued   What Should I Do? -- Follow the Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety... Earthquakes in the Bay Area are inevitable, but damage from them is not! Steps you can take before, during, and after earthquakes will help make you and your family safer and reduce your injuries, damage, and losses: First and foremost, plan for the personal safety of you and your loved ones. Look into the safety of your home, workplace, and child's school&emdash;don't be afraid to ask your landlord, boss, or school's principal if they are aware of the hazards and have taken measures to make these places safer and more earthquake resistant. Find out if your home, workplace, and child's school could be subjected to seismic hazards, such as landsliding or liquefaction, in addition to strong shaking. Don't forget to think about likely economic impacts to you and your family from a major quake (see pages 16, 17, and 29). The seven steps described in this section will help you to be safer in earthquakes. They are arranged as measures you should take before, during, and after quakes. In addition to following the steps at home, they should also be followed at schools and workplaces. If everyone makes an effort to follow these steps, billions of dollars could be saved, injuries avoided, and many deaths averted in the next big earthquake!

You've learned your earthquake hazards, now follow these seven steps. . . BEFORE A QUAKE: STEP 1. Identify potential hazards in your home and begin to fix them STEP 2. Create a disaster-preparedness plan STEP 3. Create disaster kits STEP 4. Identify your building's potential weaknesses and begin to fix them DURING A QUAKE: STEP 5. Protect yourself during earthquake shaking AFTER A QUAKE: STEP 6. After the quake, check for injuries and damage STEP 7. When safe, continue to follow your disaster-preparedness plan

What Should I Do? -- Follow the Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety STEP 1 -- Identify Potential Hazards in Your Home and Begin to Fix Them The first step to earthquake safety is to look around your home and identify all unsecured objects that might fall during shaking. START NOW by moving heavy furniture, such as bookcases, away from beds, couches, and other places where people sit or sleep! Also make sure that exit paths are clear of clutter. Simple and inexpensive things that you can do now will help reduce injuries and protect belongings in a quake. Most hardware and home-improvement stores carry earthquake-safety straps, fasteners, and adhesives that you can easily use to secure your belongings. The following tips describe simple solutions to situations in your home that could be dangerous during earthquake shaking. If these have not yet been done in your home, take action now:

Check List! Hanging objects Art and other heavy objects hung on walls may fall, and glass in pictures and mirrors may shatter. ____ Place only soft art, such as unframed posters or rugs and tapestries, above beds or sofas. ____ Hang mirrors, pictures, and other hanging objects on closed hooks.

Objects on open shelves and tabletops Art and other heavy objects hung on walls may fall, and glass in pictures and mirrors may shatter. ____ Place only soft art, such as unframed posters or rugs and tapestries, above beds or sofas. ____ Hang mirrors, pictures, and other hanging objects on closed hooks.   Collectibles and other loose objects can become dangerous projectiles. ____ Hold collectibles, pottery, and lamps in place by using removable earthquake putty, museum wax, or quake gel.

Furniture Tall, top-heavy furniture, such as bookcases and entertainment centers, may fall and injure you. ____ Store heavy items and breakables on lower shelves. ____ Secure both top corners of tall furniture into a wall stud, not just to the drywall. ____ Flexible-mount fasteners, such as nylon straps, allow furniture independent movement from the wall, reducing strain on studs.

Water and gas pipes Water or gas pipes anywhere in your home can break. Water leaks can cause extensive damage, and gas leaks are a major fire hazard. ____ Have a plumber evaluate, replace, and properly secure rusted or worn water and gas pipes. ____ If not already done, have a plumber replace rigid gas connections to water heaters, stoves, dryers, and other gas appliances with flexible (corrugated) stainless-steel gas connectors (see below). ____ Excess-flow gas-shutoff valves for individual appliances, which stop gas flow in case of a catastrophic leak, are also now available for use with flexible connectors.

Water heaters Flexible water connectors, Flexible gas connector Unsecured water heaters may fall over, rupturing rigid water and gas connections. ____ Water heaters are required to be anchored to wall studs or masonry with metal straps and lag screws. Kits are available at hardware stores and home centers. ____ If not already done, have a plumber install flexible (corrugated) copper water connectors.

In the kitchen Glassware and china may crash to the floor if cabinet doors are unsecured. Gas appliances can shift, rupturing their gas connections. ____ Secure all cabinets doors, especially those overhead, to help prevent contents from falling out during quakes. Use latches designed for child proofing or earthquake or boat safety. ____ Secure refrigerators and other major appliances to walls using earthquake appliance straps.

In the garage or utility room Items stored in garages and utility rooms can fall, causing injuries, damage, and hazardous spills or leaks. ____ Move flammable or hazardous materials to low areas that are secure. ____ Ensure that items stored above or beside vehicles cannot fall, damaging or blocking them.

Home electronics Large electronic devices may fall, causing injuries and damage. They are also costly to replace. ____ Secure TVs, stereos, computers, and microwave ovens with flexible nylon straps and buckles for easy removal and relocation.

For more information on making your home safer in earthquakes go to: http://quake.abag.ca.gov/fixit/ http://quakeinfo.org/   Don't be fooled! -- Myth number 4 "QUAKE INJURIES ARE ALL FROM COLLAPSING BUILDINGS."

Many people think that all injuries in earthquakes are caused by collapsing buildings. Actually, most injuries in quakes are from objects that break or fall on people. For example, in the 1994 magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake, 55% of quake-related injuries were caused by falling objects, such as televisions, pictures and mirrors, and heavy light fixtures.

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