Living with Earthquakes in Nevada: A Nevadan's guide to preparing for, surviving, and recovering from an earthquake

Home Safe Home: Protect Your Property

The Hazard Hunt

We can't control earthquakes, but we can control our environment by securing belongings and fixtures in our homes, schools, and workplaces.

Electrical, water, transportation, and other vital systems can be disrupted for several days after a large earthquake. Emergency response agencies and hospitals could be overwhelmed and may be unable to provide you with immediate assistance.

As you conduct your hunt, think both of the hazard to you and your family if these things were to fall and the cost to you to replace these items. Details on how to secure different items are listed below.

If you have children, include them in the hazard hunt. Their fresh eyes can often find things you miss. Moreover, being part of the hunt will empower them. The next earthquake will be less frightening if they have taken part in making their home safe.

Further Reading: Kimball (1988) Earthquake Ready

- HAZARD HUNT CHECKLIST -

Tabletop objects Television Stereo systems Art objects Glassware & vases Computers Monitors Speakers Tall furniture Tall bookcases File cabinets Armoires China cabinets In your kitchen Latched cupboards Microwave ovens Gas applicances Glass Sliding glass doors Windows Objects from above Hanging lights Ceiling fans Picture frames Hanging mirrors Hanging plants On top of bookcases

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Some Important Earthquake Remedies

Earthquake safety is more than keeping our buildings from falling down. We must secure the contents of our buildings to reduce the risk to both our lives and our pocketbooks.

Four people died in the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake because of damage to building contents, such as toppling bookcases. Many billions of dollars were lost due to nonstructural damage.

Nonstructural safety is up to you. The hazard hunt showed potential problem areas of your home. Here we show you just what you can do to secure possessions inside your home. You should secure anything 1) heavy enough to hurt you if it falls on you, or 2) fragile and/or valuable enough to be a significant loss if it falls.

An element of safety planning is paying attention to safely locating furniture, avoiding nonstructural hazards. For example, beds should be kept away from windows to avoid the risk of broken glass.

Securing tabletop objects Televisions, stereos, computers, lamps, and chinaware are heavy and costly to replace. They can be secured with buckles and safety straps attached to the tabletop (which allow easier movement of the unit when needed) or with Velcro fasteners glued to both table and unit. Glass and pottery objects can be secured with nondrying putty or microcrystalline wax.

In your kitchen Unsecured cabinet doors fly open during earthquakes, allowing glassware and china to crash to the floor. Many types of latches are available to prevent this -- child-proof latches, hook and eye latches, or positive catch latches designed for boats. Gas appliances should have flexible connectors to reduce the risk of fire.

Protecting yourself from broken glass Window glass can shatter during earthquakes and presents a significant hazard. Windows made from safety glass or covered with a strong mylar film are much safer. Be sure you use safety film and not just a solar filter.

Anchoring your furniture Secure the tops of all top-heavy furniture, such as bookcases and file cabinets, to the wall. Be sure to anchor to the stud, not just to plasterboard. Flexible fasteners such as nylon straps allow tall objects to sway without falling over, reducing the strain on the studs.

By conducting a hazard hunt, securing dangerous items, and rearranging furniture to avoid hazards and create safety spots, your will minimize your injuries, losses, and the amount you have to clean up from an earthquake.

Light nonstructural damage from the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake. Note the broken glass.

Chimneys Many chimneys are built of unreinforced brick or stone and can collapse or fall over during earthquakes, potentially injuring people, and damaging houses and cars. A house and a masonry chimney are essentially separate and very different structures, and tend to respond to earthquake motions by pounding and pulling apart. Thus, chimneys must be well tied to the frame of the building, preferably with long steel straps that are embedded in the masonry and nailed to joists in the building. The most dangerous chimneys are those that extend five or more feet above the roof; these may go through the roof if they fall toward the house. You can replace masonry chimneys with metal flues, especially the portion above the roof. One-inch-thick plywood panels can be installed in a house's attic or on the roof to help keep brick or stone from falling into a house. Do not locate patios, children's play areas, or parking spaces near a questionable chimney. Tell your family members to get away from chimneys and fireplaces during earthquakes

Damage to chimneys from the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake. Everyone should be made aware that the areas around chimneys are dangerous during earthquakes.

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