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- In the past decade, there have been at least 16 magnitude 8.0-plus earthquakes around the globe.
- The 1994 Northridge Earthquake near Los Angeles that killed 57 and caused an estimated $50 billion in property damage was a 6.7.
- Proper earthquake preparedness could mean the difference between life and death, and between property damage or catastrophic loss.
- With a plan in place and with the proper supplies at the ready, you greatly increase your chances of getting through an earthquake and its aftermath relatively unscathed.
- In this guide, we'll walk you through how to prepare for an earthquake, how to come up with an emergency plan, and all the things you need to assemble a bugout bag.
I lived in Southern California for 12 years, and in all that time, the extent of earthquake damage I incurred was a single bottle breaking after it fell off a shelf during a mild tremor.
According to experts from the United States Geological Survey, the fact that California has not experienced a major earthquake in some 25 years is statistically unlikely; in other words, the state is due for a serious shakeup. Overdue, in fact.
While the West Coast of America is indeed the region most prone to major seismic activity in the US, in fact, high-hazard earthquake zones exist in the interior West, the Midwest, the coastal region of South Carolina, and in pockets of Upstate New York and New England. All in all, the Red Cross reports that 45 states and territories "are at moderate to very high risk of earthquakes."
Nowhere on the planet are you 100% safe from earthquakes, and as much of the planning and procuring that goes into earthquake preparation can be used to help ameliorate the effects of other types of disasters, you should prepare for such incidents regardless. Ideally, the money you spend on supplies will be money wasted, and the plans you and your family come up with will never be enacted. In the worst-case scenario of a catastrophic event, it will be money and time very well spent.
How to prepare for an earthquake in 5 steps:
- Make an earthquake emergency plan and memorize it.
- Sign up for earthquake alerts.
- Get an emergency radio like this one from FosPower.
- Prepare your home and get a gas and water shutoff tool.
- Assemble an earthquake preparedness kit with a fire extinguisher and bugout bag.
In this guide, we'll walk you through how to prepare for an earthquake, how to come up with an emergency plan, and all the things you need to assemble a bugout bag.
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