A major earthquake is defined as having a magnitude of 6.5 and above. Smaller earthquakes though, can cause extensive damage and are more likely to hit the Salt Lake Valley. We have nearly 500 earthquakes along the Wasatch Front every single year. Of those, we only feel about 2%. But, an earthquake of 5.5-6.5 magnitudes, enough to sustain major damage, hits us once every seven years.
Make sure you and your family are prepared by following these tips.
Here's How:
Before It Shakes
Hold a family drill and pre-plan what you'll do if an earthquake hits. Hold these drills at different times during the day and night.
Have an emergency kit with:
- A first aid kit.
- Drinking water for at least seven days.
- A flashlight.
- Extra change of clothing including shoes.
- Food that doesn't need to be prepared, such as granola bars. You'll need enough for three days.
- Numbers of family and friends, emergency contact numbers and animal services if you have a pet.
- Diapers, baby wipes, baby food and formula - if needed.
- A seven day supply of any medication, insulin or other prescriptions you regularly take.
During The Earthquake
If you're inside:
- Stay inside.
- Take cover under a heavy desk or table and hold on to the legs.
- Don't go near your fireplace, heavy items that may fall and despite conventional wisdom, don't stand in a doorway. The door may swing shut on you during the earthquake.
- If you can't get under something, do stand near a wall in the center of your home.
During The Earthquake
If you're outside:
- Get out into the open and stay away from chimneys. These tend to fall down during earthquakes.
- Stay away from power poles, trees and look for things that might fall off buildings.
- If you're up in the canyons, watch out for falling rock, slides and large boulders.
- If you're driving, pull your car over out of traffic and wait for the shaking to stop.
- However, don't stop under an overpass, under trees, light and power poles or in the middle of traffic.
After the Quake
- Hang a towel on your mailbox if you and all your family members are accounted for and okay. This tells CERT volunteers they can bypass your house and help somebody else.
- Check your house for damage, including water, sewer, electrical and gas lines. If you notice these are damaged, turn off your water, power and gas.
- Don't light candles. Use your flashlight instead. If there is gas in the home, you may cause an explosion.
- If your house is badly damaged, listen to a portable radio for Red Cross stations or other community centers open to displaced citizens and evacuate your family to that area.
Last, But Not Least
Consider signing up for a volunteer citizens corps. In 2007, there were over 2,095 trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers in Utah. Each neighborhood should have a trained CERT member to help out in case of disaster.
Learn first aid and be prepared to help out.
Keep a well-stocked food storage and rotate the food regularly. Make sure you have enough water for your entire family to last for a week. Because the Wasatch Fault is a vertical fault line, water lines are likely to break in the event of a major catastrophe and the water will be contaminated.
Tips:
- Always keep a pair of shoes by your bed. If a quake happens at night, you don't want to be barefoot because broken glass might be scattered everywhere.
- Secure heavy dressers to the wall and use earthquake ties to hold televisions and other objects that may fall. Not only is this a good child-safety tip, it's likely to save lives during a quake.
- Develop a phone tree in your neighborhood so that you can quickly check in with each other without leaving your house. Don't tie up the line though, make each call quick and short and then make sure to hang up your phone.
- Try not to drive anywhere after a quake. The roads need to be kept open for emergency vehicles.
- Don't hang on to your dog. They might bite if they get frightened and their instinct is to take cover and hide. Wait until the quake is over and then call for them.
What You Need:
- An emergency plan and evacuation route.
- A supply of food and water.
- Flashlight, batteries and a portable radio.
- Additional supplies according to your family's needs.
- Blankets, extra clothing and shoes.
