Preparing for an Earthquake

What do you secure with Earthquake straps?

What items in your home do you secure in the event of an earthquake? What straps or other products do you use? Our big priority are bookcases and the TV- are the ''Quake hold'' straps strong enough or do we need something else? What the smaller things like pictures on walls, lamps, and vases? Thanks! Jenny

It is very important to screw the wall end of the strap into a wall stud. Simply Using sheetrock anchors does little for earthquake safety.

To secure larger or heavier items, basically the more straps/anchors you use, the more secure it will be. Check the size/weight specifications from the manufacturer of the product you are using. I think Quake Hold is the most common brand, because they are sold at Osh and Home Depot. Interestingly, I looked for weight specifications on their web page, and only found advice based on the size of an object, not the weight. Which kind of makes sense, because the force of movement would likely be a factor in addition to the weight.

Here are a couple of fantastic resources: http://earthquake.matthewlspringer.com/ http://etcusa.net/the-earthquake-lady (this website also sells some industrial seismic anchoring products) L

TV, COMPUTER, etc.: Many, now, have holes in the stand to screw them down, but commercial earthquake straps work too.

PAINTINGS, PHOTOS, other hanging art: Get earthquake hooks in any hardware store - white plastic block that can be screwed into the wall and the wire for hanging is put into the labyrinth -

Old wood-framed houses will sway more than new construction. Except for brick chimneys, these houses will, most likely, survive.

When an earthquake starts crawl under a strong table - - - best to have a plan !

For larger pictures on the wall you can buy earthquake picture hangers. They look like a maze in cross-section so the hanging wire can't pop out.

Finally, for small decorative items you can buy earthquake wax. It attaches small items firmly to a surface, but scrapes/rubs off cleanly (with a little effort.) It's also called museum wax. Firmly attached

Earthquake! keeping books from falling off shelves

We have three tall IKEA billy bookcases (made of particle board) filled with books. They are securely attached to the wall but I would like to do something to them to keep the books (especially from the higher shelves) from falling off in an earthquake and crushing my toddler. Ideally I would like it to be something I can do myself. Ideas I have thought of:

1. Hot gluing a half inch high strip of wood to the edge of each shelf to create a lip (I am not sure if this would really keep the books on the shelves but it would be easy to do)

2. Attaching a chain across each shelf a couple inches up from the shelf using eyehooks (I wonder if the eyehooks would stay in during an earthquake or just get ripped out)

3. Drilling a hole in the side a couple inches up from each shelf and running a metal rod through Has anyone earthquake proofed their shelves and have any good advice? Thanks! I am not looking for recommendations for people to do this for me and I know about the doors for the bookcases at IKEA. toddler mom

Go to the earthquake aisle of any hardware store (I went to OSH on Ashby near 9th St. in Berkeley). Get the rubber bookholders - they come in various colors and are fairly inconspicuous once installed. (Installation does require a drill.)

Your idea for creating a ''lip'' also will work and is one of the possibilities recommended by the earthquake preparedness agencies.

Also, get rubber, gridded shelf-liner and lay a sheet down on each bookshelf, then set the books on top of them. This keeps them from sliding. (Don't lay books sideways. Put them upright as usual.)

Attaching the shelves to the walls with the hardware that came from Ikea is probably insufficient. In the earthquake aisle, get either L-brackets or furniture straps and attach the shelves to wall studs with those. These hold more weight. The straps will indicate on the package how much weight each holds, and you can figure out how many you need to use. You should do the same with your major appliances (furniture straps attached to wall studs).

For minor appliances iike printers, microwave, stereos, etc., get Velcro with sticky backing in the earthquake aisle and attach the appliances to the surface they're sitting on. You can do the same with plants.

For smaller breakable items (vases, etc.) and lamps (which can fall on you), get museum putty in the earthquake aisle, which creates a strong but temporary bond.

One very important thing to do is attach safety latches to your cabinets, especially in the kitchen, with all the breakables, sometimes overhead. You can also lay the dishes down, within the shelves, on the rubber matting so that they slide less and will be less likely to break even inside their safety-latched cabinet.

In the utility room and/or garage, put all toxic chemicals and cleansers on lower shelves, and/or in safety-latched cabinets. Make sure that that no two containers of cleansers that are dangerous to mix with each other are near each other. (Bleach and some household cleaners shouldn't mix and create a noxious gas...I forget now which ones they are.) Earthquake Freak

Family disaster plan with a middle schooler

Hi folks: We're thinking through possible disaster plans in case of earthquake, etc. Our daughter is an 8th grader at Longfellow, almost 4 miles from our Berkeley home. I work in SF (with a bicycle in SF for part of my commute) and my partner in Oakland. We have able-body privilege so we can walk long distances to meet our daughter as needed. I'm wondering what sort of plans other families have devised. Do the schools and afterschool programs keep the kids until they are picked up by an authorized adult? We can't count on BART, right? How did you commuters manage during the Loma Prieta quake to pick up your kids and get home?

Earthquake kit for baby

With all the recent earthquakes in the East Bay, I am updating my earthquake kit and trying to figure out what to pack for my 5 month old baby. My biggest question is regarding food. I have not worried about this before because my baby is exclusively breast fed and I am still on maternity leave. However, we'll be introducing solids soon and more importantly, I'll be going back to work soon. I guess I will put in a few jars of baby food, but I know that milk is supposed to be the most important food source for the first year. If an earthquake happens while I'm at home, obviously there is no problem. However, what if it happens while I'm at work? I work in SF and it's unlikely I could make it home if there were a big one. My baby will be in our home with a nanny, so I guess I should just put some formula in the earthquake bag? Is there a recommended formula for babies who have been exclusively breast fed? Also, the other things we have in the earthquake bag for baby are clothes, diapers and wipes, a couple toys and some infant tylenol. Anything else I am forgetting? Thanks so much. Worried sick, but trying to be productive

Blanket (note that the typical emergency mylar blankets may not be safe for infants).

In addition to jarred baby foods, consider some finger foods (cheerios and similar).

Heavy bags for dirty-diaper containment until you reach an appropriate place for disposal.

Hand sanitizer (for everyone).

If you have room, a cheap umbrella stroller or carrier will make evacuation easier if needed. prepared mom

Securing storage bin for earthquake supplies

So, I am cringing that I still don't have my bin together for earthquake supplies, and I'm hoping that I can get some advice about the thing that keeps tripping me up. I know that people advise using a rolling garbage bin, or a deck box. But these things don't have any closing mechanism - don't they warp in the sun, and then allow critters in? How do they stay closed? If this is the bin you use, how do you keep it securely closed (yet easy to open for an emergency)? Please advise! This is getting ridiculous! anonymous

A good earthquake survival kit for the home?

After watching 60 minutes tonight I got motivated to buy a good survival kit for our 3 person family. Any recommendations for a store around here or one online? Thanks!

Earthquake preparations at home

I'm gathering kits for earthquake emergency at our home. Where do you put supplies? Our garage is in our basement and I fear not being able to get below the house to access supplies if left in the garage. Do you store supplies/emergency kit outside or do you split it up around the house? Where do you store water and how do you store water? Any other essentials for 2 kids under 5yrs? Thanks!

Earthquake kit storage

I am embarrassed to say that what has held up the completion of our home earthquake kit/supplies has been the question of what the heck to store it all in. I know that some have used the huge, wheeled plastic garbage bins. What do people recommend, that is easy to get into, and is waterproof? Do those big plastic deck storage boxes stay water tight? Please advise! Thanks. anon.

Our son had to put one together as part of a 7th grade project. He also had to learn where our gas shutoff was, show that our hot water heater was strapped, and so on. It was very educational for us and made us get our act together!

Need suggestions for earthquake food supplies

Before Christmas, I went through my earthquake food supplies and discovered that several cans had burst/leaked and that many others were nearly expired. I am now planning to replenish my supplies and realize I don't really know what I should have for our family. I had canned fruit, Chef Boyardee, Ramen noodles, condensed milk, instant coffee, hard candy, peanut butter and lots of water. It hardly seemed adequate for a family of four and its shelf life was less than a year. Any suggestions for nutritious but edible AND storable food for the earthquake kit? Thanks. Andrea

Earthquake Kits

This last tremor has pushed me out of my state of denial and I am ready to attempt some earthquake preparation for my family. One of those all purpose kits that is already put together is probably most realistic for us. There are so many offered on the internet with varying prices and supplies. Any recommendations for what to get and where to get it? Thanks - Want to Be Prepared

The recent 4.2 ''quakelet'' of March 1 was a good wake-up call. It's helpful to remember that a 7.2 quake, which the Hayward could easily produce when it ruptures, would amount to 35,900 times as much energy released as the 4.2 The shaking could be as much as 1,000 times what we felt on March 1: shaking so violent you can't stand up.

Kits are essential, and you might want to give some attention as well to an automatic gas shut-off valve, securing your furniture, and having your retrofit (if any) checked for adequacy. Larry

How to prepare for an earthquake?

Hi all: Just half an hour ago I felt a pretty big earthquake for a few seconds but enough to scare me to death: I'm new in California and have no clue as to how to protect my child and I! So I have a few questions for you guys: 1- What are the essentials in an emergency package? 2- Should I have one at home and one in my car? 3- Where do you store those things in your place? 4- We live on the third floor in an apartment building. Are we supossed to leave the apartment if there is an earthquake or are we supossed to stay in? I know they tell you to run under a table... but on a third floor?

I checked on the internet and find tons of ads for companies trying to sell you their anti-earthquake savvy... I can't afford that though and, as I said, I'm new here so I don't have much info. So, thanks in advance for all the advice you could provide. Earthquake-scared!

With just a quick search, I found a few (free) documents:

Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/15/

Protecting Your Family From Earthquakes-The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety (in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean) http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2007/42/

List of Useful Web Sites That Supplement the Above Handbooks http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/pdrlinks/ quakecrazy

But I live in a house which makes it easier for me to do as much as I have, which is that I have in the back of my back yard 4 large plastic trash cans full of supplies, including: extensive first aid supplies in a small backpack, (old) clothes & shoes, a small tent, a rain poncho, an old sleeping bag, extra pair (old) eyeglasses, a hand crank radio, 3 flashlights & batteries, around 14 Meals-Ready-to-Eat (army rations from a surplus store, never go bad, not gourmet but it's food), canned food, dog & cat food, medications I take daily, cooking supplies (little one burner stove and fuel, a pot, plates & cups & utensils, paper towels), soap & other personal hygiene stuff, toilet paper, $100 cash, and probably more stuff I'm forgetting.

Everything's in double layers of trash compactor bags inside the trash cans, each tied closed separately (they're the strongest), the lids are held tight with bungee cords, and it's all stayed dry through many rainy winters. I rotate the canned food and medications with fresh.

I also have a huge (I think it's 20 gal) water container that I bought off PN for $5. (pure serendipity, I'm sure it cost a lot new).

My thought is to have some extra supplies to share with other people who haven't planned so well.

Inside the house I have a large crowbar under my bed (for jammed doors, etc), shoes & socks by my bed, a couple of small fire extinguishers (a good idea anyway), & flashlights stashed all over the place. My large bookcases are bolted to the wall.

I had an e-quake valve installed on my gas line, & had my house bolted to the foundation.

In my car I have first aid supplies, a few warm clothes & pair of shoes, 3 gal water jug, medications, clif bars & p-nuts & raisins & a couple of MREs, flashlights, cash, & probably a bit more stuff I'm forgetting. I try to remember to keep my gas tank at least half full.

It was work to set it all up, but I made it a creative game & had fun. I'm not paranoid about it, don't dwell on it, do know the best things to dive under in my own house, & it gives me some peace of mind to know I'm as prepared as I can be, and the rest is up to chance and nature. It's just part of living here, it's nature at work! Maybe you can translate some of this into apartment life. Anon

I really don't think you need to seek out a consultant unless you have some specific circumstances not covered by the general information. There are some very common sense strategies you can implement, and in doing so you can have very fruitful planning conversations with your family, employer and friends. A few more little ones and you might even think they are kind of fun LR

Earthquake preparedness service?

I know that there are pleny of disaster/earthquake preparedness kits available for purchase. We have some odds and ends tucked away. . . . But does anyone know of a service that will help us get truly organized: make sure we have all that we need, that it is accessible, that our disaster plans are sound. It shouldn't be so difficult to accomplish on our own. But since it isn't happening, we are ... Looking for Help

Water storage for earthquake supplies

I am looking for a somewhat local source to purchase a 55 gal. plastic drum for water storage for earthquake supply. There used to be a source in Berkeley, but they are out of business. I have found a source in Idaho and another in Southern Ca. but shipping is very expensive. Does anyone know where I can get one. I also have many friends who are interested. Thanks.

Containers Unlimited
10901 Russet St
Oakland, CA 94603-3727
Phone: (510) 430-0503 

Buying an earthquake emergency kit

I'm in the process of trying to prepare emergency kits for our family to use in case of an earthquake or other emergency. I've been innundated with lists of what to gather together and pack so I don't need help there. However I've noticed that there's many many companies and catalogs that supply prepackaged ''survival kits'', and would like to buy one. (Usually includes first aid kit, food bars, flashlight, radio, etc. and we would add to it.) It seems there is a great variety in prices and possibly quality between the products of these companies. Can anyone suggest a reputable company that provides safety/survival gear and equipment? Online or local. Thanks very much. Susan

What kind of container for earthquake supplies?

Now that I have children I'm finally thinking about putting together that earthquake preparedness kit. I am wondering if experienced folks out there recommend a particularly good box/storage unit to use outside. Looking at the recommended items for 2 adults, 2 children and a dog, it seems like I'd need a pretty good sized container. Thanks, Rachel

Earthquake-safe wall decor

I recently vowed to stop living like a college student and finally fix my place up. I have a couch in the only logical place it can go in our living room, and above it is a BIG blank wall. It looks stark and ugly. Same goes for the blank wall over our bed. I've read that it's not safe to hang items of any weight above beds and places where you sit. What then to do with the blank wall? Beth

However, there are also good options for lighter, softer and safer decorative items. Textiles can be a good choice - - painted silk hangings, batik cloths, tapestries, quilts. Or put up (securely wall-mounted) shelving and fill the shelves with baskets, stuffed animals, or other collectible items.

If those options don't appeal, instead of mounting a painting on the wall, you can simply paint the wall itself! A mural (or other decoration applied directly to the wall) is most often used in bedrooms, but you can certainly do them in other rooms, and it can be any style, color, etc. you like. Holly

As for the bed, I would hang a tapestry - such as a kilim rug, a weaving, etc. It's light and decorative. Another alternative is to paint the headboard wall a different color than the rest of the room or do a faux finishing technique on that wall. Anon

Earthquake Plan for nanny

I'm in the process of devising a communication/shelter plan for my family and our nanny in the event of a major earthquake or other disaster. My biggest concern is that my husband and I will be at work when disaster strikes, and our nanny will be left to her own devices with our 10-month-old daughter. Our nanny is intelligent, but she has not been in this country long, and she has never experienced a major earthquake. Have any of you given your childcare provider specific instructions on what to do in an earthquake? Have you given instructions on when to leave the house, when to go to a shelter, how to find a shelter and how to get in touch with you should the phones be out of service? Have you arranged to meet at a specific spot? Leave messages at an out-of-state number? Any advice you have would be most helpful. Thanks! Amy

Having read the American Red Cross advice as to what to do in the event of an earthquake, I have typed out instructions to stay in the house, go under a table or doorway (etc). We have instructions to not go go into the kitchen, turn on lights and to stay in one room. Also, she is to call out of state grandparents if she cannot get a hold of us in case lines are down. We have also set up two meeting places in the event that it is not safe to stay in the house. Also, she knows where to find flashlights and radio in the event the power goes out.

If she is to leave the house, we always have our son's backpack ready with his supplies, water, bottles and formula.

I think it is always a good idea to have an emergency plan- our's is typed out and clearly posted on our fridge with all important numbers. However, I also went over the plan with our nanny to make sure our nanny knows what to do. The more prepared you can be, the better everyone will feel.

Good luck and stay safe! Let's just hope you will never have to use the plan! Stephanie

=Where to Find Us and Today's Information=

This is a blank form which I duplicate and fill in each time. At the top it has our pre-printed cell phone numbers, and it also lists the phone numbers for wherever we'll be (work, restaurant, theater, hotel, etc.) When the kids were small it also contained information on when/what to feed them, bed times, etc.

=Emergency Information and Contact List=

With first-time sitters I review this information in person. it includes our home address with cross-street and home phone number(in case, heaven forbid, they have to call an ambulance), our cell phone numbers, phone numbers/addresses of neighbors, nearbyfriends and relatives and the Kaiser advice line.

A separate section contains information on location of earthquake, medical supplies, and fire escape ladders and the phone number of out of state contact.

If your nanny is not familiar with what to do in an earthquake, you of course need to review some basic concepts such as not running out into the street but finding a doorway, interior hall, etc., and keeping kids calm and safe. It includes recommended meeting places if the house has to be abandoned, and a reminder to leave a written note as to where they've gone.

=Emergency Medical Information and Authorization=

This form can be taken to the hospital and is also a good form to give to a friend of relative who is having your child for a sleepover in case they can't contact you. It contains address, phone number, and driving directions to Kaiser pediatric office and emergency room. It also reiterates names and numbers of friends and relatives to contact in an emergency. At the bottom we sign an authorization for emergency medical care.

If anyone wants a copy of these documents to modify for their own use, I'm happy to send them. Natasha

Anxiety about Earthquakes

Recent quakes freaked me out - considering leaving

I moved to the Bay Area in the late 1980s (in my early 20s) and was here for the Loma Prieta quake. I've stayed in the Bay Area despite my constant low-level fear of quakes. But this week's swarm of quakes on the Hayward fault is really freaking me out. Maybe it's because I now have kids, or because I live in the East Bay, or work in a tall office building. I've done all the appropriate preparedness (house foundation is fully retrofitted, I have earthquake kits at home, etc.) but I can't help thinking that maybe it's just really stupid for me to be subjecting myself and my family to this risk. So the question I have is whether anyone on this list has considered leaving the Bay Area because of this or who has left for this reason? Or if there is anyone else who is deliberating the same question right now I'd like to hear your views. scaredy cat

I think it is particularly challenging this time around to push out the terrible suffering and damage seen from the Japan quake, among other recently severe ones, and not say to yourself, ''why on earth if I can avoid this suffering for me and especially my children, wouldn't I?'' Of course we have had many calm years here since the last major quake and could have many more, but we do know that the Hayward Fault is overdue for a major quake, and despite all the shoring up of our homes and emergency kits we can prepare, there is no controlling the infrastructures and potential dangers outside of our homes.

I think it's fair to weigh the dangers and/or how the anxiety is affecting you versus what you would be giving up by leaving the Bay Area. Unfortunately there are no perfect choices, but maybe it will help you to lay out serious pros and cons of making a major change. I feel like too often in the Bay Area, people tend to want to dismiss genuine concerns about the risk of a major earthquake. We can't control or predict earthquakes but we can decide how we want to deal with the possibility.

I'm sure that I probably should have been in therapy for it. Every place has its risks, right? Earhtquakes could really happen anywhere. But the probability of a huge quake happening in the bay is a very good bet. Loma Prealta was 60 miles away, and look what it did. I can't image a huge quake *right* in the east bay. I plan on returning after the quake happens! anxious

I go through anxiety for a while after earthquakes...Every rumble adn vibration panics me...then it wears off.

I've lived in the Bay Area for 32 years. I think we all hope the ''BIG ONE'' doesn't come any time soon and we're willing to live with the occasional smaller ones, but we live our daily lives, maybe in denial. Where would we go? There has been flooding all over the world, fires, other earthquakes, tornados...There is no place that is free of natural disasters.... So, we do our best...have an earthquake kit, be informed, maybe have a community plan set up. And hopefully in our lifetime we'll never have the story to tell about where we were when the big one hit. anon

If you move to another area you will deal with either or a combination of: snow storms, hurricanes, floods, slides, sand storms or worst, tornadoes. I say, enjoy the gorgeous state of California and know that every other place in the country have their own issues... Minus the gorgeous weather and amazing green spaces! I'll take a shot of earthquake over a hurricane!!!

I grew up with earthquakes as my reality. My 70 year old mother has been in 2 major Seattle earthquakes in her lifetime, and many small ones that maybe knock over an item or two. I've felt two larger than the ones this month when I lived in Seattle, but they were still insignificant. I'm not familiar with the entire earthquake history of the Bay Area, but the only ones I ever hear anyone talk about are the 1906 quake and the Loma-Prieta quake as the destructive ones in the area in the last 100+ years.

Earthquakes make me nervous too, especially now that I have a child. They are unpredictable and can be highly destructive, but they don't happen that often. If you don't already have some place that you want to move instead, then I would advise taking care of setting up an emergency contact out of state for checking in with family members, an emergency plan, an emergency kit, and knowing things how to shut off your gas if there is a leak instead, so you at least have that peace of mind. shaken but prepared

But, this is where we are coming from:

When I moved to Indiana when I was 9, I was TERRIFIED of tornadoes. Every couple of weeks for a good half of the year you see tornado warnings, the sky turns black and purple, terrifyingly loud thunder and lightening cracks and rumbles the sky. Every time you are sure you will die. At least, I was for the first 2-3 years.

By the time I was a teenager, I was well over it. Why? If a tornado warning happens, you shouldn't leave your house. You don't want to be caught under a tree or in a car when the hail, lightning, rain, etc. strike. You can't get in your car and outrun it since you have no idea where it is and where it might go. If a tornado comes, it could tear your house down (and ours, like most in the area did NOT have basements). What can you do? Prepare. Get flashlights and blankets and go to a room in the house that doesn't have windows. And that's it. In nearly 20 years of living in Indiana and countless tornado warnings, I never ONCE experienced a tornado. They blew through rural areas and neighboring towns, but I was never in one. And, had I been, the likelihood of destruction or death would have been small. Even destructive ones were rarely fatal.

So, what is my takeaway? There's nothing you can do EVER in the event of a natural disaster except prepare. Period. Even when you think you can control it, you can't. If you live in the middle of a hurricane area, maybe you'll have trouble getting out in time because you get caught in traffic and all the gas stations run out of gas. Then what? You just can't run away from a disaster.

Maybe I'm in denial. I never experienced any major quakes. But I do know that they happen everywhere, even in Indiana. California is the safest place possible if one does happen (buildings are built to withstand them, codes are designed for safety in the event of an earthquake). I feel I am safer in California in an earthquake than anywhere else.

So, you have to make your own decisions, but I'll take the earthquake risk over snow, ice, rain, hail, tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes any day. Cali is better. No matter the risk.

About gas lines. The PG&E gas lines are probably a risk, but it seems they are more proactive since the San Bruno explosion. The gas lines in people's homes are probably a bigger risk. When a home is sold, water heaters must be tied down so that they don't fall over and break the gas line in a quake. The homes that haven't sold are probably a much bigger risk than the PG&E gas lines. I don't know what to do about that. Other ideas on how to prepare below. Use your anxiety to get moving!

Many people have mentioned getting an earthquake kit. I don't know what is in that kit, but even if there is water, you probably need more. Store water. Keep canned food in the house.

The City of Berkeley offers Emergency Preparedness Classes: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=3920 maybe other cities do, too.

Have a neighborhood party. Get to know each other. Make plans.

Have an engineer look at your house and suggest retrofit possibilities.

How about tools to extract trapped people. And shoes by your bed in a protected location so that you can still walk around your house even if all the glass breaks out of your windows.

Have a contact person out of state that everyone in your family can call. The lines within the state are going to be really busy.

There are so many ways to prepare. Get a book or find a website. Read it. Take action. anon

Just had my first earthquake - scared out of my mind

Hi. I am new to the East Bay and just experienced my first earthquakes this last month of my lifetime. I have to admit I was scared out of my mind and if I could would move away. I am prone to anxiety and this has really been troubling me. I have made my emergency kit bag but I can't help but feel a general sense of worry throughout the day. I know anything can happen anywhere but that doesn't seem to allay what I am feeling. I am wondering how other people handle this. Is there some way to feel more relaxed about this? Are their earthquake anxiety support groups? Thanks for your help. Shaky Momma

Pick your disaster....floods, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados...It seems something everwhere. anon

There are a number of good sites to visit on preparedness. You can start with www.fema.gov.

I feel more prepared by training with the county in search and rescue, certifying in CPR and 1st Responder First Aid. Knowledge is a powerful thing. Also, work out a plan with your kids and have an out of state friend or relative for you and your kids to check in with. Remember that cell phones and land lines will probably be down or overwhelmed in a mass disaster. I also have a ham radio license so I have another form of communication. I am at the extreme end of preparedness, but it does make me feel better. Prepared Worrywort

Yes, I still worry, and yes, I have a tent, water, food, blankets, and so on in a big plastic bench outside my home. I have a plan in place for me and the kids should a quake worth noticing happen. Yes, I still worry, but I do my research, and found a site that said the daily risk of an earthquake here was about the same as the daily risk of having a car accident. I still don't like driving under overpasses, but the life here is so wonderful for me and my kids. Back east, there was little art in schools, no theater, not many things like museums, and computer camps. I can go back east, where it's ''safe'' (but they still had a 5.9 earthquake--greater than any of the 4 that I have experienced here by leaps and bounds--or I can enjoy what is offered here, free of the running battle with tropical storms, flooding, and deadly heat waves.

Yes, I think about it a lot. I think about a friend's great gran who came here from Ireland, who experienced the great earthquake at the turn of the century. They whitewashed the chicken coop, and moved in there, because they were afraid that the house would come down around them. They did NOT, however, move away. They stayed.

So, my advice (because it works for me), not knowing any support groups, is to do your research. Look at the safety of both places. Look at crime, hurricanes, floods, heat waves etc., and see if it really IS more dangerous here. Be sure to add in quality of life, and then go be prepared. Wendy

I find the irregular occurrence of earthquakes far less frightening than the seasonal regular occurrence of tornadoes, flooding, or hurricanes (and I am scared of non- California stuff like open-carry laws or lax clean air/water laws).

But you can't escape nature. There are earthquakes even in Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia. Where are you going to go? Here, because Calif. is a known fault zone, there are building codes to protect you from earthquakes. Does St. Louis have that? You can't pick what you are afraid of, but you can pick your response. Be in charge of it. It's okay to be afraid, but do something to make you stronger to fight back! scared too, but staying right here

Out-of-town parents worried about earthquakes

My brother lives in Chengdu and has thankfully has been unharmed in the earthquake. Now my parents, who live on the East Coast, are anxiously begging us to leave the bay area because they are terrified we will also be in a major quake. I can't deny the possibility of this, obviously, but we have a house, jobs and our life here. My mother is calling everyday and says she can't sleep because she is so worried about us. I've encouraged her to talk about this with friends or a professional. We have a disaster kit and have made what improvements we can to our house. Aside from that I can't see what we can do about geologic facts. I also think they are feeling out of control because they are in the process of moving near my other brother, which is generally as sisruptive and stressful as moving usually is. Does anyone else have a similar issue? CU

If you haven't done so already, hire an engineer to spend an hour or two looking over your house and foundation (and your soils if you live on a very steep slope) and make recommendations (most likely some foundation work). The typical wood houses we have in the Bay Area are very sturdy.

I am an architect with a construction background and a strong knowledge of construction methods and materials, so I know what I'm talking about. I hope your parents begin to sleep better soon..... Cassandra

Fact is, we live in earthquake country. But the thing to tell your folks about next time they call is that we know we live in earthquake country and have very strict building codes because of that. Tell her everything you've done to protect your house, if that would make her feel better. Or simply reassure her that a huge cause of the horrible death toll in China is because of shoddy buildings, not because of the quake itself.

There is only so much any of us can do to protect against disaster. We do those things here, we help others when they need help. Talk to your folks about what works. Things will settle down. anon.

You could compile information on how disastrous the disasters in other regions have been (snow/ice, hurricanes--eg Andrew, Katrina), tornadoes, & flooding, for example. Some of these places getting hit more than once.) I don't think that she'd be consoled by understanding that statistically, but it's MUCH riskier to get in your car every day than it is to potentially get into an earthquake (which probably is lower likelihood than airplane accidents too). And yeah, she may need to talk to a professional.

Moving to the Bay Area - worried about earthquakes

My family is moving to the East Bay in about a year and I can't help but be worried about earthquakes. I know that there are zones that are considered more of an earthquake risk than others. Does anyone have some words of wisdom for me on how to live in an area like San Francisco/East Bay where earthquakes are a part of life. Can anyone recommend areas that are considered more protected than others? How is day-to-day living effected (ie- Do people ''earthquake-proof'' their homes like they might childproof them?)? thanks,
shakin' in my boots

1) bought a good earthquake insurance policy (available even if you're a renter)

2) earthquake-proof my house (e.g. buy kits to strap large pieces of furniture to the walls). In addition, keep a ''disaster preparedness'' type of kit around (food, water, space blankets, matches and candles, first aid kit...)

3) realize that everywhere you live, there's some disaster waiting to happen (hurricanes in the southeast, tornados in the midwest, plane crashes, car wrecks -- even earthquakes in all kinds of places where they weren't expected before). Since I've taken all reasonable precautions, I force myself to quit thinking about it. If God wants to call me home, he's going to do it, and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm a natural worrier, so this takes some effort, but I do work on it.

Karen

I'm glad to hear you are thinking ahead about being PREPARED out here. I guess there are disasters to be prepared for anywhere-tornadoes, ice storms, blizzards, floods,...everyone should have basic preparedness stuff. But there are some EQ- specific things that help. You ask whether everyone does earthquake-proofing like childproofing here. The truth is, some of us do, but most still live in denial! There are lots of things you can do to improve your preparedness at home, such as securing tall furniture to walls (and tall doesn't just mean 6' tall - you wouldn't want a 4-foot bookcase full of books falling on a crawling baby!); keeping emergency supplies (foood, water, first aid, flashlight, blankets, etc.) in an easily-accessed place; being sure the water heater in your home is properly secured (one piece of plumbers tape across the front is NOT adequate); seeing to it that the house/building you live in has been retrofitted to resist EQ forces(if it is new, it should be built to current codes, but many older buildings have not been strengthened). Of course, this only helps in your own home. Compared to places like Algeria and rural Turkey, the SF area is extremely EQ-safe. Buildings are, on the whole, safer, and of course all new censtruction is built to strict codes. However, your child's friends' families might be in the ''denial'' category. So your child might end up sleeping over at someones house, right under a 7-foot tall full china cabinet that has not been secured in any way. Also, I have found it pays to ask your schools and daycare providers what they have done. Preparedness plans are required, but some are better thought-out and implemented than others. If anyone wants more suggestions, feel free to e-mail me (I do not represent myself as an ''expert'', but I have done lots of research). rkonoff

But here are a few things to give you perspective and/or advice

--the closer you are to the water, generally, especially on flat ground, the worse off you are. This is because much of the land on the bay is really fill; on older maps, this ''land'' shows up as water. If your house is on sloping ground inland, you're probably on bedrock. You can also check out http//www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/ eqmaps/pickcity.html to find earthquake hazard maps for specific cities.

--generally, the newer your house is, the better, because earthquake codes have improved; but you have to take into consideration size and building materials. Therefore concrete apartment buildings with parking garages on the first floor (circa 1960s) are a bad bet compared to a Victorian single family house, because the former tend to ''pancake'' in a quake, while the latter will just dump a little gingerbread woodwork around your ears.

--if you're buying an older house, there are types of seismic reinforcement that can help a lot; namely, bolting your house to the foundation (older houses just sit on top of their foundations) and covering the cripple walls (i.e., portion of exterior walls between foundation and floor joists) with plywood, which adds shear strength and stability.

If I wanted maximum peace of mind, I would live in a single-story wood-frame house with no exterior masonry, either new or seismically reinforced, in a nice hilly place like Rockridge (that's rock under your feet!) or North Berkeley. And then I would chill out and enjoy the weather.

Not a geologist, but I play one on TV

Yes, California is known as earthquake country and there have certainly been a few big ones in the last century (and even last few decades), but I think most of us live our lives without thinking about it much.

Many homes are earthquake retrofitted on the foundation, most people I know have an emergency stash outside the house of food, blankets, tools, etc. just in case. Some people have earthquake insurance. Schools have emergency earthquake procedures to follow, in case. We are educated in disaster procedure in the event.

I'm not a geologist but I do know that we have lots of teeny to small earthquakes all over the place and once in a while there is a biggy centered somewhere that causes damage in one area and maybe it's felt slightly in distant areas. There are faults all over the place, some bigger, some smaller. I don't know that any one area is ''safer'' than any other. Our house is 1 1/2 blocks from the Hayward Fault but our neighborhood is built on solid stone. Don't know if that makes any difference.

I imagine at some point the Bay ARea will have another disasterous earthquake (they say we will). It could be in 20 minutes, tomorrow,or not for many years.

My husband, born and raised in Berkeley, always says he'd much rather live here where there are occasional earthquakes than in the midwest where tornados are a way of life, or in the east where hurricaines are pretty much guaranteed every season. So, good luck on your move. California is beautiful, the whether is great(or is it weather?), good food,diversity, great people. You'll learn what safety precautions to take. Be sure you do that, then relax and enjoy. June

Home prep http://www.preparenow.org/ba-eprep.html

United States Geological Survey--search by state or disaster type http://www.usgs.gov/

Neighborhood groups ask the police or fire department in your prospective neighborhood if there is an active Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in that area.

Other good information (many categories) for the Bay Area can be found by searching on http://www.craigslist.org/

Welcome to the area! Amy N

We live on a fault line, and have done some work on our house (bolted the foundation, etc). We also have an emergency stash of food and water, flashlights, etc. The Red Cross has great info on how to eathquake proof your place at http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/readyearth.html

Friends I know that have also lived here since birth joked during the dot-com days that we needed a good earthquake to scare away the dot-commer's ) It's truly not a part of our everyday living-- it seems to happen way less than flooding, hurricanes, or tornadoes in other parts of the US (all are way more scarier for my family!).

Good luck with your move! earthquake veteran

Inside the cans, although I’ve never had any problem with water getting in, I keep everything in well-tied trash compactor bags (the strongest bags you can buy). In one can I have the things that I might need right away such as one change of clothes, first aid supplies (I put them together myself as the ones you can buy are very minimal), flashlight, a battery and hand crank powered radio (Grundig), batteries for both separately from them, little quickie food, a month’s supply of medications that I take regularly, a list of phone numbers & info like for my home insurance etc, an extra credit card that I don’t usually use, and $400. cash in small bills.

In the other cans I have more clothes, more batteries, more food, a camping lantern, a small cook stove, blankets, rain gear, a small tent, pet food, etc.

Several neighbors and I got earthquake gas shut-off valves several years ago made by Vanguard (they were about $250.00 installed). Apparently some of the earlier valves made were overly sensitive but these are just fine, and it gives extra piece of mind.

I took a class from the City of Berkeley a few years ago in Emergency First Aid- it’s not only about care you can give yourself, but how you can help triage injured people for care from other people around and professionals. They have other emergency preparedness classes also.

I also keep a small stash of emergency supplies such as change of clothes, a jacket, a space blanket, quickie food, smaller first aid kit, water, and cash, in my cars.

I had earthquake insurance for several years and then cancelled it. The deductible was so high that it just didn’t make sense. My one-story, wood frame, retrofitted house would be most likely to get a lot of broken glass and damage to possessions- less value than my policy would have covered (I don’t believe it covered possessions anyway). I checked, and fire resulting from earthquake is covered under my basic policy. This is from CSAA

Someone mentioned home inspectors for checking for structural problems. Most home inspectors are general contractors, not engineers, and look at basics but not structure in detail. For that you need an engineering inspector. Two that I know are Dan Szumski 839-0399, and Ralph Kratz 215-2430.

Oh yes, one more thing. Somewhere I read or heard that it’s a good idea to keep a large crowbar under your bed so that you can move big obstacles if you need to in order to get out.

Not in Denial

Buying a House in Earthquake Country

Best Bay Area city if afraid of earthquakes?

I've been severely terrorized by the recent earthquakes in light of the fact that the experts say 'the big one' is coming. I've retrofitted my house to the max from top to bottom (structural and belongings and furniture) but it is not helping. I feel like I'm living in terror, since I'm about three blocks from the actual Hayward fault.

I want to move because I've determined that I can't live like this. I don't seem to possess the denial mechanism necessary for living in a fault zone under the threat of an overdue major devastating quake. But where to?

I've narrowed it down to staying in the Bay Area, since around here, quakes are not felt as widely as they are in the rest of the country (in the midwest and east, the rock is older, and, according to the USGS, carries the shaking orders of magnitude further - here, the rock is young and shaking is relatively localized). So what towns are safest in this regard?

I'm currently considering Pleasant Hill and Concord but have no idea how close they are to faults. I can't afford Lamorinda. I currently live in North Oakland and will need to downsize financially if I move, since selling/buying/moving is going to cost me a bundle.

Also: I will need to live in the new town temporarily in a rental, until I sell my house. But I'm scared to death to live in a rental that is not as retrofitted as my current house is, even if the rental is much further from the fault. Which is worse: retrofitted but three blocks from the fault, or 10 miles from the fault and not highly retrofitted?

And any other suggestions on likely towns to move to but still stay in the Bay Area? Terrified of Quakes

You can study maps by city, county, or even type a specific address into the search, and a map will be shown that reveals fault lines, shaking hazards, etc. It is color- coded, and very easy to zoom in, and determine the most dangerous areas and the least. It also shows active fault lines, and gives information about types of housing that are most at risk, along with retrofit suggestions.

I hope you can look upon this research as a way to learn interesting facts about the area, and find a place where you can feel more comfortable. Good luck! Naomi

Where are the East bay earthquake hazards?

We're looking to buy a house and I'm getting confused about earthquake risks. I'm trying to figure out how much more of a significant risk landfill/liquefaction is over shaking intensity. Looking at the ABAG shaking hazard maps, it looks like most of Oakland/Berkeley/Alameda is pretty much screwed for shaking intensity. We like Alameda but have been avoiding the landfill areas for concern of liquefaction. But then we'll get all excited about a house in Oakland near the Hayward fault. Should we stick to our guns and continue to avoid the landfill areas if seismic safety is a concern for us? Or is pretty much the whole East Bay screwed when the Hayward inevitably goes? This may seem too unpredictable, but if the house falls down and kills our family we don't want to feel like we knowingly made a decision that contributed to that. cautious (overly?) househunter

Is it really worth it to buy in earthquake country?

My husband and I dabbled in the home buying market last year but got spooked by the thought of buying a home in earthquake country where the ''odds of a deadly earthquake striking one of California's major seismic faults with a magnitude of at least 6.7 within the next 30 years at more than 99 percent''. (Sfgate, April 2008) I've heard that earthquake insurance is prohibitively expensive. If we put 20% down (150,000) don't we run the risk of losing it all? I know there are many financially-saavy, educated, reasonable people out there and many own homes here...I'm curious how you determined this was a worthwhile investment? grateful for your perspective, jen

And of course, you'll want to keep seismic safety in mind when renting, too -- who cares if their money is safe when their family isn't? Cali Girl

Evaluating earthquake hazards when looking for a house

We have recently realized how little we know about seismic hazards. Has anyone found a good book or other resource that explains what to consider when looking at potential houses, schools or daycares? We are concerned about buildings' locations relative to fault lines and other seismic hazards as well as their structural integrity. For example, how risky is it to move into a house or send our kids to a daycare located right on a fault line or in a liquefaction area? Are older, two- story homes in any way less safe than one-story homes? Our ''dream house'' would be a two-story Victorian or craftsman, but someone told us that shaking on a second floor is exponentially worse than shaking on a home's first floor. We would really like to find a good source of information to answer these and other questions that may arise as we think about where we want to live in the Bay Area. Thanks for your suggestions! Kathryn

Buying a house on a fault trace

We are thinking about buying a house that is located on top of a fault trace. Does anyone know what that means, exactly? How bad is it? Someone told us that it could actually be better to be located right on a fault line, because the worst shaking may occur further away. Is there any truth to that? Also, this property has a creek running through it and seems to have a rather high water table (a neighbor told us that she hits water when she digs in her yard). Could the amount of water in the earth make it particularly unstable in an earthquake? Is there a reliable, free source of information about these kinds of things (a government engineer or someone like that) whom we could contact? Thanks! K

To find out where a known active fault is, consult the California Geological Survey. Their site is http://www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs.

If the person wants site-specific information, they will have to hire a consulting geologist or geological engineer (He thinks this costs a few hundred dollars). Hope that helps. Angie

If the house actually straddles the trace of a major fault this is a bad situation that should be avoided. If the home is close (ie.within about 1/8 mile) to the trace this is a little better. However, for very large faults with lots of slip over time (ie. San Andreas fault which has had displacements of hundreds of kilometers) the "damage zone" can be quite large. This is a zone of crushed rock and defines the fault zone, not just a vertical crack that most people envision the fault to look like. This crushed zone (fault gouge) causes water to accumulate (sag ponds...., San Andreas lake is a good example) and also causes streams to pop up and hence raises the local water table. Saturated crushed rock under strong shaking conditions can result in complete ground failure (liquifaction), not to mention amplifying the ground motion and hence stronger shaking of any structures. With that said, this must all be caveated with some questions, "what kind of rock or soil is the home built on?" , "what fault is the home built next to?", "what is the structural integrity of the home?" etc. If it is a small fault with little past displacement it is probably not that bad of a situation. Some homes in the Berkeley hills very close to the Hayward fault are actually on fairly competent soil and rock. If the earthquake does not rupture up to the surface, then the shaking near the fault may be comparable to shaking in the flatter parts of Berkeley that are located farther away. However, if the fault does rupture up to the surface this is a very bad situation because this creates much stronger ground shaking right near the fault trace. (as an aside, some of the larger more recent earthquakes in California have failed to rupture up to the surface e.g. Loma Prieta, Northridge).

In summary, it is best to have a home located on stiff soil or rock that is made of wood framing (flexible) that has been seismically retrofitted to prevent cripple wall failure with a good foundation. If the home really does sit on the mapped trace of the Hayward fault for example I would avoid it.

One resource to consider is the California Division of Mines and Geology. I believe they have on-line shaking maps for different earthquake faulting scenarios. -Kevin

Buying a house on the Blakemont Slide

We are looking at buying a house in the southern part of El Cerrito and was advised by our agent to look into the ''stability'' of the land upon which houses ar located. We have seen houses we like on Seaview drive but understand that this is in an area called ''Blake Mont Slide'' and that the ground might be less stable here than elsewhere. Is this correct? Does anybody have some updated information/facts on this? The earthquake related maps on the Web does not address the issue of land-slide. As much as we would enjoy having a spectacular view, we wouldn't want waking up one morning finding ourselves at the bottom of the hill or worse) Any insight is greatly appreciated! Per