Earthquake

Disaster Proofing Your Home

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Ayla87 (sxc.hu)

The federal government declared 86 major natural disasters in the first nine months of 2011, more than in any full year in the past. Ten of those disasters topped $1 billion in damage, and at least three—Hurricane Irene along the Atlantic coast up to Vermont…the Virginia-based earthquake…and wildfires as far north as Minnesota—remind us that disasters can strike homes that are not built to withstand them. There’s no way to make a house completely disaster-proof, but there are home-improvement projects that can significantly limit damage and/or improve the odds that a home will survive. Not all of these projects make financial sense for every home owner, but many provide considerable protection at a reasonable price.

Helpful: Insurers sometimes offer discounts to home owners who invest in home-protection upgrades. Continue reading →

Surprising Places Earthquakes can Happen

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LilGoldWmn (sxc.hu)

Thousands of Earthquakes Hit the U.S. Each Year (and Not Just California)

Major earthquakes in Haiti and Chile this year left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, injured or dead. Virtually ignored amid news of these disasters was a much smaller earthquake in Continue reading →

Earthquake Advice for People With Disabilities or Access and Functional Needs

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cuervo (sxc.hu)

During a significant earthquake, you could experience sudden and intense back and forth motions of up to six feet per second. The floor or the ground would jerk sideways out from under you. Every unsecured object around you would likely topple, fall, and become airborne, potentially causing serious injury. Strong shaking might not end for you until a minute and a half after you first felt the earthquake.  That’s why federal, state, and local emergency management experts and other official preparedness organizations all agree that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” is the appropriate action to reduce injury and death during earthquakes.

If you cannot Drop, Cover, and Hold On, there are modified actions you should immediately take to protect your head and neck.

Continue reading →

During an Earthquake

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What to Do During an Earthquake

Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake.  Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur.  Minimize your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place and stay indoors until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe. Continue reading →

Earthquake Safety Steps

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Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety

These steps were developed by members of the Earthquake Country Alliance and are based on many existing resources and the advice of many organizations.  Earthquake Country Alliance member have specific things they need to do before, during, and after an earthquake so as to reduce earthquake damage and injuries, and to speed recovery.  But, you need to do your part.

1.  Identify potential hazards in your home and begin to fix them.

2.  Create a disaster-preparedness plan.

3.  Prepare disaster supplies kits.

4.  Identify your building’s potential weaknesses and begin to fix them.

5.   Protect yourself during earthquake shaking- drop, cover, and hold on.

6.   After the earthquake, check for injuries and damage.

7.  When safe, continue to follow your disaster preparedness plan.

 
Source:  Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country