The Big Shakey-Shakey

No matter where you live in the United States, there is always some kind of natural disaster that is common to the area. If you live on the East Coast, you have hurricanes. The midwest and mountain states have tornadoes. Here in the Pacific Northwest (and all up and down the West Coast) we have earthquakes...and volcanoes.

This is one of the big concerns that is expressed to me by people moving here from out of the area, and it's something that we who live here do need to keep in our minds and be prepared for. They don't happen very often, but when they do, there is no warning. So, you need to be prepared and know what to do BEFORE they occur.

Here is a list of the Top 5 Things You Should Do Before, During and After an Earthquake.

Before

1. Have your disaster preparedness kit ready. It should include at least a 3 day supply of non-perishable food and water, protective clothing, bedding, battery powered flashlights and batteries, a first aid kit and any essential medications, a working fire extinguisher. You should have a kit in your home (everyone should know where it is) and one in your car.

2. Have a disaster/earthquake plan. This includes having an out of town contact that knows how to reach you in case of emergency, and making sure others know who that person is. If possible, take a first aid class.

3. Identify a safe place in every room of your home, and practice "Drop, Cover and Hold On."

4. Identify and mitigate any safety issues in your home BEFORE a disaster occurs. This includes strapping or bolting down any "tippy" objects in your home, such as bookshelves, cabinets and water heaters. As an aside, if you're buying a home, strapping the water heater is an item that comes up on our home inspections in Washington state so if you can get the seller to address it, that's one less thing for you to worry about later. It costs about $20 so there is no reason not to do it.

5. If your home is on natural gas, you should know where your shut-off valves are and know how to use them. Posting written instructions in your home is a helpful tip, in case you are not home when disaster strikes.

During

1. During an earthquake, move away from any windows.

2. Go to the safe place that you identified before the earthquake and "Drop, Cover and Hold On." Protect your face with your arm.

3. If you're in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow.

4. If you're outside, move away from any trees, buildings and power lines.

5. If you're in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.

After

1. Check yourself and others for injuries. Administer first aid if necessary. There may be a lot of debris around, so protect yourself from possible injury by wearing long pants, a long sleeved shirt, gloves, and sturdy shoes.

2. If you smell gas or think it may be leaking, turn it off at the shut-off valve and do not turn it back on until instructed to do so by a professional.

3. Check for any small fires and extinguish them. Check your home for damage and be prepared to leave if the home is unsafe.

4. Listen to the radio for instructions. Expect aftershocks and be prepared to "Drop Cover and Hold."

5. Stay off the phone unless there is a life threatening situation.

It's also important to know where to go for help, so here is the contact information for some of our local emergency services providers.

Snohomish County

Snohomish County Red Cross
Phone: 425-252-4103
Website: Snohomish County Red Cross

Snohomish County Emergency Management
Phone: (425) 388-5060 during office hours (call 911 for emergencies)
Website: Snohomish County Emergency Management


King County

Seattle Red Cross
Phone: 206-323-2345
Web site: http://www.seattleredcross.org/

Emergency Services Division
Phone: 206-296-3830 (call 911 for emergencies)
Web site: http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/