Emergency Supplies Checklist

Preparing Your Family

Tips for
Preparing Children

Tips for the
Physically Challenged

Tips for the Elderly

Tips for Apartment and Mobile Home Managers

Organizing Your Neighborhood

Tips for Pet Owners

How To Secure
Your Furniture

How To Strap Your Water Heater

More importantly, you will want to prepare people to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours after an earthquake.

• Consult local building codes to ensure that buildings meet current seismic safety standards. It is advisable that "Prior to purchase or installation, people check with their local building department or authority having jurisdiction to determine if seismic bracing is approved or if any permitting or inspection is required" .
• Develop an emergency plan before an earthquake that includes guidelines for storing water and food, obtaining first aid training, appointing floor or area leaders and conducting drills. Encourage tenants to develop their own emergency plans as well.
• Encourage mobile home tenants to better secure their homes by installing structural support bracing systems, leaving wheels on homes, rather than removing them, and securing awnings. A list of state-certified bracing systems is available from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
• Organize teams that will be responsible for first aid, search-and-rescue, communications and firefighting.
• Provide tenants with a white flag or a distinguishable sign to post that will indicate which of them haven't been seriously injured.
• Practice Earthquake: Drop, Cover & Hold drills in your complex or park.
• Hold meetings to discuss these plans and provide information to your tenants.