What should we do before, during and after an earthquake?

Steps

1. 1
   

   Beware of heavy books - place them on lower shelves
   Check for hazards inside your home. There are a number of specific hazards in your home that you can deal with before an earthquake occurs. Once they are properly secured, they become less of a hazard to you, your family, and your pets.
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   • Fasten all shelves securely to the walls.
   • Use brackets to attach wall units, bookcases, and other tall furniture to wall studs. Standard steel brackets are fine and easy to apply.
   • Place large, heavy objects on lower shelves or on the floor. They might fall during an earthquake and the less distance they have to fall, the better. You can also screw objects onto things, such as a desk.
   • Use non-slip mats to prevent heavy objects, or objects with a low center of gravity, from sliding. For example, fish bowls, vases, floral arrangements, statues, etc. Cut down to size if needed.
   • Use invisible nylon cord to secure tall, heavy items that can topple over to the wall. Place an eye screw in the wall, and tie the thread around the object (such as a vase) and then tied it to the eye screw.
   • 

     Take care of precious ornaments by sticking them down
     Place breakable items (bottles, glass, china, etc.) in closed cabinets that have latches. Lock or latch them up so that the cabinet doors cannot fly open. Use poster tack/plastic putty to keep ornaments, figurines, and glassware adhered to shelves and mantelpieces. (There are even special commercial quake putties available.)
   • Heavy pictures, light fixtures, and mirrors should be hung away from beds, couches, and anywhere that someone might sit. Conventional picture hooks will not hold pictures during an earthquake but they are easy to fix - simply push the hook closed, or use a filler material to fill the gap between the hook and its backing. Other alternatives include buying special art hooks, and ensuring that heavy painting have adequate, strong hooks, and strong cord.
   • If you have any deep cracks in the ceiling or foundations, repair these immediately. You might need to consult an expert if there are signs of structural weakness.
2. 2
   

   Make sure that the hot water heater is stable and cannot topple over
   Evaluate your electrical wiring, electrical appliances, and gas connections. Do any repairs if needed. During an earthquake, faulty fittings and wiring can become a potential fire hazard. When securing appliances, be sure not to drill holes in them - use existing holes, or make loops from leather, etc., that can be glued onto an appliance.
   • Keep appliances turned off and unplugged, so that the outlet is not near the metal part of the cord.
   • Attach or secure appliances to prevent sliding. Non-slip mats are a good choice under smaller appliances, or try Velcro or rubber cups under legs.
   • If the water heater topples over, you lose an excellent source of drinking water, so it pays to keep it intact and upright. Secure your water heater by strapping it to wall studs (not just the drywall) and bolting it to the floor. Either purchase straps as part of a plumbing kit, or make your own straps from perforated strapping. Use screws and turnbuckles to hold the heater in place. Screw or nail timber blocks to the floor around the heater. Fit timber blocks snugly behind the cylinder and wall and glue into place.
   • Overhead light fixtures should be braced to prevent them from falling.
3. 3
   

   Keep the flammables in a safe place
   Fix flammables. Fires after an earthquake can cause as much, if not more, damage than the earthquake. It is important to minimize the risk of fire by doing the following:
   • Store flammable products in closed cabinets with latches on the bottom shelf.
   • Attach gas bottles to the wall to prevent them from toppling over. Use a chain and hooks in the wall to keep it in place.
   • Have flexible fittings placed on your gas pipes. A professional plumber will need to do this. It's also a good idea to have flexible fittings on your water pipes, so have these fixed at the same time.
4. 4
   

   Chimney bricks fall easily during an earthquake...
   Look around your house. The house exterior should also be checked for weaknesses during an earthquake.
   • If your house has a chimney, this can be a source of injury if it topples during an earthquake. Secure it to the walls of the house using galvanized metal angles and bands at the top, ceiling line, and base. The angles can be bolted to the wall, and to ceiling joists or rafters if you have cladding on the house. For the part of the chimney sitting above the roofline, brace it to the roof.
   • Ensure that the house foundations are properly braced.
5. 5
   

   Practice earthquake drills at home
   Identify safe places both indoors and outdoors. Examples include: under sturdy furniture, against an inside wall (where the other side is not exposed to the outdoors), away from mirrors or windows, or in the open away from buildings and trees. If you don't need them anymore, you can throw them away.
   • Read wikiHow's articles on How to survive an earthquake, Deal with being indoors during an earthquake, and How to react during an earthquake for more information on what to do during an earthquake.
6. 6
   Educate yourself and those in your family about what your family should do in the event of an earthquake.
   • Decide in advance on the best place to go during an earthquake and what they can do if you are incapacitated. Children should know how and when to call emergency services and someone besides yourself should be able to shut off your dwelling's gas, water, and electricity.
   • If you have civil defense safety meeting points, be sure that every member of the family knows the location of the one closest to home, school, and work.
   • Create an emergency communication plan that is known by every member of the family. Determine a central meeting place, in case you are separated before or during an earthquake.
   • Ask an out-of-state family member or friend to serve as a central contact (and maybe you can be their contact too). Make sure everyone memorizes this person's phone number. Don't rely on cellular phones or radios for contact.
   • 
     Try to develop routes and methods for getting home after an earthquake has occurred. Since there is no precise time of day when an earthquake might strike, you may be at work, at school, on a bus, or in a train when one strikes. It is highly likely that you will need to know several ways to get home since roads and bridges will likely be obstructed for long periods of time.
7. 7
   

   Prepare suitable supplies
   Prepare disaster supplies in advance. The following items are important to have readily available in your home, situated in a central location:
   • Flashlight with extra batteries (preferably one for each individual)
   • Portable, battery-operated radio with extra batteries
   • Purchase and use "self powered radios" and "self powered flashlights". Batteries will be hard to find, if you can find them. Some models will charge cell phones, but the cell phone towers may be damaged, even destroyed.
   • Purchase and use "glow sticks". These are safer than candles, since you will be dealing with ruptured gas lines, flammable, explosive gas.
   • First aid kit and manual
   • Emergency food and water (some sources say you should have up to 2 weeks worth of extra food on hand in case rescue workers cannot reach your location)
   • Nonelectric can opener
   • Essential medicines
   • Cash and credit cards
   • Sturdy shoes for each family member.
8. 8
   Help your community to prepare. It can be as simple as printing this article and circulating it, or more elaborate like creating community meeting places and central food stores. Most schools and some workplaces in earthquake prone areas will practice regular drills and you might be able to offer your volunteer services to help carry out the drills.
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   Crisis / Food Source

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Video

A video demonstration on how to shut off gas line after an earthquake. The video offers good advice to keep a wrench on the gas line at all times, so that you can find it quickly in an emergency.

Tips

• Remember the mantra: "Fix, fasten, forget."
• If you don't have the knowledge or ability to fix your home, ask for help. Ask your neighbors to lend a hand, other family members, or dial a handyman company that is good at fixing things for a reasonable price. Use qualified, reputable plumbers and electricians for all electrical and plumbing work.
• When looking online for items to help you quake proof your home, a good search term is "earthquake safety products".
• Confusion is the first thing after an earthquake. Try to eliminate confusion and worry by developing a communication plan that does not rely on cell phones, radios, or other portable devices. Creating a family reunion point is sensible, communicating this clearly to the family on a regular basis is essential, as we tend to revert to our basic training when in an emergency situation.
• If at all possible, avoid living near fault lines and large mountains in an earthquake-prone region. Not only will the damage to your home be more severe, but it will be more likely that you cannot get to your home if you are away from it.
• Make sure all gas lines are completely tightened. And do not turn any lights on after an earthquake!
• Consider keeping a pair of shoes, a flashlight and an energy bar under your bed. Similar items should be kept at your desk at work or school (for work, keep a pair of comfortable walking shoes ready).

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edit Things You'll Need

• Plastic putty can be purchased from hardware stores, stationery stores, and supermarkets. Some art and antique galleries might also have suitable putties for sale.
• Non-slip mats or matting. Available from hardware stores.
• Furniture-to-wall braces, also reversed brackets. Available from hardware stores.
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• First-aid kit
• Portable radios with extra batteries
• Clothes (enough for a minimum of 3-5 days)
• Bottled water (enough for 1 gallon per person)
• Non-perishable food able to eat with minimal heat (ex. cereal bars)
• Baby formula and baby food if you have an infant
• Canned or packaged food for your pet(s)
• Any non-electrical source of entertainment
• Phone numbers of possible shelter if a cell phone is available and working
• "Self powered radios" and "self powered flashlights", glowsticks. Batteries will not be available and candle use will be forbidden due if there are ruptured gas lines, (or use your common sense if you smell gas). Find these radios at the local electrical supplies store, these lights, glowsticks at variety stores. Get these ahead of time and store somewhere that is easy to access.