Earthquake Checklist
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- Before an earthquake happens - Prepare
- Awareness
- Pick safe places in each room of your home, workplace and/or school
- Practice drop, cover and hold on in each safe place
- Keep a flashlight and sturdy shoes by each person's bed.
- Make sure your home is securely anchored to its foundation.
- Bolt and brace water heaters and gas appliances to wall studs.
- Bolt bookcases, china cabinets and other tall furniture to wall studs.
- Hang heavy items
- Brace overhead light fixtures.
- Install strong latches or bolts on cabinets.
- Large or heavy items should be closest to the floor.
- Learn how to shut off the gas valves in your home and keep a wrench handy for that purpose.
- Learn about your area seismic building standards and land use codes before you begin new construction.
- Keep and maintain an emergency supplies kit in an easy-to-access location.
- If you are inside when the shaking starts
- Drop, cover and hold on
- If you are in bed, stay there, curl up and hold on.
- Protect your head with a pillow.
- Stay away from windows to avoid being injured by shattered glass.
- Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit
- Be aware that fire alarms and sprinkler systems frequently go off in buildings during an earthquake, even if there is no fire.
- If you are outside when the shaking starts
- Find a clear spot and drop to the ground.
- Stay there until the shaking stops (away from buildings, power lines, trees, streetlights).
- If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location and stop
- Stay inside with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops
- If a power line falls on your vehicle, do not get out
- If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris
- What do I do after an earthquake?
- After an earthquake, the disaster may continue
- Each time you feel an aftershock, drop, cover and hold on
- Check yourself for injuries and get first aid, if necessary, before helping injured or trapped persons.
- Put on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes and work gloves to protect against injury from broken objects.
- Look quickly for damage in and around your home and get everyone out if your home is unsafe.
- Listen to a portable, battery-operated or hand-crank radio for updated emergency information and instructions.
- Check the telephones in your home or workplace to see if you can get a dial tone.
- Make brief calls to report life-threatening emergencies.
- Look for and extinguish small fires
- Clean up spilled medications, bleach, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately.
- Open closet and cabinet doors carefully as contents may have shifted.
- Help people who require special assistance, such as infants, children and the elderly or disabled.
- Watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines and stay out of damaged areas.
- Keep animals under your direct control.
- Stay out of damaged buildings.
- If you were away from home, return only when authorities say it is safe to do so.
- Use extreme caution and examine walls, floors, doors, staircases and windows to check for damage.
- Be careful when driving after an earthquake and anticipate traffic light outages.
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Presented by:
John F. Smith
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Views: 72
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Uses: 2
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Tasks: 48
Who it's for
This Earthquake Checklist is for anyone who wants a simple, practical way to get things done without missing steps.
- Avoid forgetting - keep all your Earthquake essentials in one place (external memory)
- Save time - start from a proven Earthquake structure instead of a blank page
- Stay on track - track progress, come back later, and keep momentum
- Coordinate with others - share the list and divide responsibilities
- Learn the process - follow the steps in a sensible order, even if it's your first time
How to use it
How to use this Earthquake Checklist
- Save Earthquake Checklist to your free Checklist account so your progress is saved and synced across devices.
- Customize it in the app: remove anything that does not apply, then add your own details for Earthquake (dates, sizes, addresses, notes).
- If others are involved, invite them to collaborate and divide responsibilities.
- Work through the list: check items off as you go, and set reminders for time-sensitive steps.
Rate this Checklist
5 stars
Scores 4.70 with 99 votes