If you’re a Californian, earthquakes may no longer be a source of uneasiness. At times, we have them so frequently that they seem to become part of the ebb and flow.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean we should let our preparation lapse, and that’s exactly what the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is trying to promote with the month of April as Earthquake Preparedness Month.
“In California, we have thousands of earthquakes every year, and so it’s important that everybody should just be prepared all year long,” Jon Gudel, the senior emergency services coordinator for Earthquake Early Warning at CalOES, said. “This is really just another reminder that we live in earthquake country and that we should always be prepared, not just in April.”
Here’s what Californians should know during Earthquake Preparedness Month.
How to prepare for an earthquake
Gudel said people should not “wait until you feel the shaking” to start preparing for an earthquake.
“It’s going to be chaotic if there’s an earthquake, especially a significant earthquake,” Gudel said. “So, take these days now to get prepared and have a plan.”
As we can’t predict when an earthquake will hit, Gudel said, “One of the best tools that we have available to us right now is the MyShake App,” which is part of Earthquake Warning California.
The free smartphone application — developed by the University of California, Berkeley, and available in six different languages — provides early earthquake warnings.
“It’s really a life-saving tool. It can give you those life-saving seconds of notification before you actually feel the shaking,” Gudel said. “So, if you are in Palm Springs and the earthquake is in Los Angeles, it could give you up to maybe 10 seconds, (or) maybe up to 30 seconds of notification. So, imagine what you can do in 30 seconds. It may not seem like a long time, but you know, 30 seconds can give you that precious time.”
The app works by utilizing a network of ground-motion sensors, coupled with phone data.
If an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 or higher is detected, users who have installed the app will be sent audio and visual alerts, notifying users to “drop, cover and hold on,” Gudel said.
The app also allows users “to crowdsource valuable information about how much shaking people felt and to share information about damage following an earthquake,” according to CalOES.
The MyShake App is available on Apple or Google Play, as well as on Chromebook and MacOS platforms.
Aside from downloading the MyShake App, Gudel said residents can prepare by having an earthquake bag ready.
“If there’s a significant earthquake, there’s really two rules of thumb here,” Gudel said. “You could maybe ask to evacuate from your local authorities. More likely, though, you’re going to be staying at home.”
For an earthquake bag, you’ll want to plan for at least 72 hours without emergency services and pack water and food. You’ll also want to stock your bag with any medications you or a loved one may need.
“Me, personally, I have a daughter that has Type 1 diabetes, so she needs her insulin,” Gudel said. “She needs her medication, so we set aside a certain amount of her medications into a bag.”
Gudel said phone chargers and personal information are also good to include in an earthquake bag.
Other items to pack include cash and a first aid kit, CalOES recommends.
Before an earthquake hits, Gudel said, “You also want to talk to your family to have a plan.”
“Earthquakes really don’t care about our schedules. They don’t have a timeline,” Gudel said. “They will occur at any moment. And it could be on a Friday afternoon as you’re getting ready for the weekend. It could be in the middle of the night. It could be when you’re driving on your way to work. And so, it’s important that you know what to do.”
People should be sure they have a plan on what to do if they are separated from family and consider things like what if the kids are at school or someone is at the office.
“Where are you going to meet up if there is an earthquake?” Gudel said.
What to do in if an earthquake hits
If you get an alert via the MyShake App or feel an earthquake, people should, “Drop, cover, and hold on,” Gudel said.
“Everybody needs to understand it’s not in the doorway. It’s not run out of your house, which may have been what people have heard in the past,” Gudel said.
If you’re at home, you will want to look for something sturdy to drop underneath, like a table, cover your head, neck, and vital organs, then hold on, according to Gudel.
If you are in a stadium or theater, you will want to “drop to the ground in front of your seat or lean over as much as possible, then cover your head with your arms, and hold on to your neck with both hands until shaking stops,” according to CalOES.
Should you be in a store when a tremor strikes, you will want to get “next to a shopping cart, beneath clothing racks, or within the first level of warehouse racks may provide extra protection.”
If you are outdoors during an earthquake, you will want to move to a clear area if it is safe to do so and avoid power lines, trees, signs, buildings, vehicles, and other hazards. Then, you should drop, cover, and hold on.
If you are driving, you should pull to the side of the road (avoiding overpasses, bridges, power lines, signs and other hazards), stop, and put on the parking brake. Stay inside your car until the shaking has stopped.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. What Californians should know
Reporting by Daniella Segura, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
