Emergency Preparedness and Response: Earthquakes

Preparing for and During an Earthquake

On this page, you’ll find information about how to prepare for an earthquake and what actions to take when an earthquake occurs. While earthquakes cannot be prevented, you can work proactively to minimize the risk of damage and injury. Taking these precautions contributes to personal safety and can significantly reduce the impact of seismic events on your home and well-being.  

Preparing for an Earthquake

The best way to protect yourself from an earthquake is to be prepared. The California Academy of Sciences recommends these actions to prepare for an earthquake. [url; California Academy of Sciences] 

• Develop an earthquake plan: Create a plan with your family or roommates for what to do during an earthquake. This plan should include where to meet, how to communicate, and how to evacuate your home if necessary.  
• Assemble an emergency kit: An emergency kit should include food, water, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, and a battery-powered radio.  
• Identify safe places in your home: Locate safe places under sturdy furniture, such as a desk or table, where you can take shelter during an earthquake.  
• Secure your home: Make sure your furniture is bolted to the walls or floor to prevent it from tipping over during an earthquake.  
• Learn how to shut off your utilities: In the event of an earthquake, you may need to shut off your gas, water, and electricity to prevent further damage.  

Note: This is neither a comprehensive nor a step-by-step list. All topics are important to consider when preparing for an earthquake.

Prepare Ahead of Time: Learn the Signs of an Earthquake 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists what signs to look out for when an earthquake occurs. [url; CDC, 2024].

You might:

• Hear a roaring or rumbling sound that gradually becomes louder.
• Feel a rolling sensation that starts out gently and grows violent within a second or two.
• Feel a violent jolt, followed by shaking that makes it hard to stand or move from one room to another.

Prepare Ahead of Time: Prepare Your Home for Earthquakes 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information on how to secure hazards and furniture in your home before an earthquake. [url; CDC, 2024]

States CDC:

• Identify potential hazards in each room, including windows and other glass items, unanchored bookcases, furniture that can topple, items on shelves, and areas that could be blocked by falling debris. Secure them, where possible with L-brackets, corner brackets, aluminum molding, or eyebolts.
• Secure cabinet doors by installing sliding bolts or childproof latches.
• Secure your large appliances (like refrigerators, water heaters, and stoves) with flexible cable, braided wire, metal strapping. Wrap your water heater and attach it to wall studs.
• Move heavy mirrors and pictures hanging above beds, chairs, and other places where you sit or sleep. Otherwise, anchor these items with wire through eye screws bolted into wall studs. Or place screws on both sides, top, and bottom of the frame and screw these into the studs.
• Replace heavy ceramic or glass hanging planters with light-weight plastic or wicker baskets.
• Identify poisons, solvents, or toxic materials in breakable containers and move these containers to a safe, well-ventilated storage area. Keep them away from your water storage and out of reach of children and pets.
• Strengthen the areas of connection between beams, posts, joists, and plates using T- and L-straps, mending plates, joist hangers, twin post caps, and nails and lap screws. Pay particular attention to exposed framing in garages, basements, porches, and patio covers.
• Check your chimney or roof for loose tiles and bricks that could fall in an earthquake. Repair loose tiles or bricks, as needed.
• Protect yourself from falling chimney bricks that might penetrate the roof by reinforcing the ceiling immediately surrounding the chimney with ¾-inch plywood nailed to ceiling joists.

During an Earthquake

If you’re inside a building when an earthquake strikes, drop, cover, and hold on: This means dropping to the ground, taking cover under sturdy furniture, and holding on to it until the shaking stops.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On
CDC provides instructions on how to protect yourself indoors as an earthquake occurs. Note that CDC recommends practicing these steps as part of an earthquake drill. In the event of a real earthquake, you’ll have only a few seconds to find adequate shelter; a few minute of practice, including identifying safe places to shelter outside can be the difference between life and death. [url; CDC, 2024]

• Drop down onto your hands and knees before the earthquake knocks you down. This position protects you from falling but still allows you to move if necessary.
• Cover your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) underneath a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, get down near an interior wall or next with your arms and hands. If possible, stay clear of windows or glass that could shatter or objects that could fall on you.
• Hold on to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around. If you’re outside during an earthquake, remain outside. There is greater risk from falling debris outside doorways and closer to outer walls of buildings. CDC provides instructions on how to protect yourself outdoors as an earthquake occurs.
• Move away from buildings, utility wires, sinkholes, and fuel lines.
• Go to an open area away from trees, telephone poles, and buildings. Once in the open, get down low and stay there until the shaking stops.
• The area near the outside walls of a building is the most dangerous place to be. Windows, facades, and architectural details are often the first parts of the building to collapse. Stay away from this danger zone. If you are in a car, pull over to a safe location and stop. CDC provides instructions on how to stay safe inside of a moving vehicle as an earthquake occurs.
• Move your car to the shoulder or curb, away from utility poles, overhead wires, and under or overpasses.
• Stay in the car and set the parking brake. A car may jiggle violently on its springs, but it is a good place to stay until the shaking stops.
• Turn on the radio for emergency broadcast information.
• If a power line falls on the car, stay inside until a trained person removes the wire.
• When it is safe to begin driving again, watch for hazards created by the earthquake, such as breaks in the pavement, downed utility poles and wires, rising water levels, fallen overpasses, or collapsed bridges.

 

Latest page update July 29, 2025.