EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

Happy autumn! I love the summer but also the cool energy that the fall brings as we settle into our hearts.

I’m bringing up earthquakes this month because the likelihood we will have a big earthquake is very high. Some days, I live in denial, as if it won’t happen. This weekend, we finally got really prepared! I thought it would be useful to share what we did so you don’t to have to recreate the wheel.

It will take a couple half days to get everything in order. It was actually fun and bonding to do this! It makes you realize t We would like to prevent your home from burning down in case of a disaster. If you are OK with getting these items, can one of us deduct it from our next month’s rent (that would be November, since Oct is already paid).hat the petty things about your loved ones really don’t matter.

Topics: 1) Planning; 2) What to do during an actual earthquake; 3) 3-day evacuation supplies; 4) Prescription Refill Emergency

PLANNING

Escape routes from your home: physically go outside and see where it is safe (where you can avoid tall trees, utility wires, streetlights). Have sneakers and shoes in your bedroom and by every exit door. Look in the backyard for structures that can fall on you. You don’t want to get trapped. Check inside your rooms and hallways for safe places away from windows and other objects that can shatter. Do a walk through and a test run. If an earthquake happened right this second as you are reading this, what would you do?
When leaving your home:
- Turn off the gas/water using the appropriate wrench (https://www.amazon.com/SurvivalKitsOnline-515100-Earthquakes-Hurricanes-Emergencies/dp/B000NYDEPQ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=24QQEQ81ITSQM&keywords=gas+shut+off+wrench&qid=1569886880&s=hi&sprefix=gas+shut+off+w%2Clawngarden%2C196&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFWQlBLNkpPWVA3OFUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1NDQyODA1RVA2UFhQVTRJUEcmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDQ3NDgzMDNSOFdOUEFUT0xBNjEmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl).
- Know where your fire extinguisher is (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LTICQYE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Meeting places in the neighborhood: Do not leave your home during the earthquake. In case you have to evacuate your home, choose at least 2 safe places to meet up. You can try calling to see if these places (schools, corporate buildings) can accommodate earthquake victims.
Out of state contacts: have 2 people your family members can contact (phone and email) that are out-of-state. Offer to be their emergency contacts also! Local lines may be down.
Make a plan if your family is not together when the earthquake occurs. If you are not able to reach your family member after X number of days, what is your plan? Where are you going to try to meet? If you are disabled, where will you go?
Local neighborhood evacuation destination: If you have to evacuate your local neighborhood (think fire or flooding, where homes, schools, corporate buildings are not accessible), where will you go? It may take several hours walking to get there. Have a map printed out. If you are disabled, come up with a plan.
Which emergency department will you go to if you can choose?
Walkie talkies, satellite radios, medical alert systems. In a dense city, the long-range walkie talkies don’t work. The satellite radios have a high subscription fee. For elderly patients, please check the capacity of your medical alert system in the event of a disaster.
Emergency Alerts – be informed!
- Santa Clara has “Alert SCC” – install onto your phone! https://www.sccgov.org/sites/oes/alertscc/Pages/home.aspx
- Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/alerts
- FEMA: download the app onto your phone

WHAT TO DO DURING AN EARTHQUAKE

Read the following links with your family.

Sunnyvale Public Safety Tips: https://nextdoor.com/agency-post/ca/sunnyvale/department-of-public-safety-1/what-to-do-during-an-earthquake-117161827/
Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html

I have summarized only a few of the key points below so be sure to read the web sites above!

AT HOME/WORK

DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.

Don’t try leaving your home/building during an actual earthquake. Stay in bed when the earthquake strikes, cover your head with a pillow. Don’t use a doorway unless you know it is strongly supported. DO NOT use the elevators.

STAY INSIDE until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Do not exit a building during the shaking. Most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave. The electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems and fire alarms may turn on. Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.

Ask your workplace what the plan is.

IF YOU GET BURIED

Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

PREPARING TO LEAVE YOUR HOME

We (2 people) decided to purchase pre-made survival items and to supplement. We have our backpacks in our cars along with 1 gallon of water and sneakers. If we are at home and need to evacuate, we have our utility wagon set to go.

Step 1 – Purchase:

Emergency Backpack 4 person, 72 hours https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y944P2W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Mountain House Classic Bucket https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00955DUHQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Water: We got 18 gallons

Step 2- Supplement:

We made sure each backpack was complete for two people (ie. Maybe only 1 person can grab the backpack). Amazon.com had most everything.

Personal items: socks, underwear, heat-tech long underwear (Uniqlo), sneakers, jacket, pants, shirt, glasses, cash, personal documents, medications, sanitary napkins.
Documents: health insurance, ID, paper map, contacts list
Additionally purchased: trauma scissors, tweezers, lighter, Neosporin, sewing kit, gauze, sterile tape, AAA batteries, radio, compass whistle, rope, water purification kit, garden gloves, kubotan, pepper spray, sporks, large ziplock bags, Emergen-C, fuel for our Jet Fuel, solar charger, phone cables, headlamp, Axe/hammer.

Step 3- Utility Wagon

We already owned a utility wagon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GLPYRK2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

We added the mountain house classic bucket, 12 gallons of water, 2 person sleeping bag, tent, Jet Boil + Fuel.

The plan is to bring the utility wagon to a shelter if we need to evacuate our home.

PRESCRIPTION REFILL EMERGENCY

This is going to be tough! I called the County of Santa Clara Emergency Management (https://www.sccgov.org/sites/oes/Pages/home.aspx) and spoke to some people, and learned that there’s no set protocol for prescription refills after a disaster.

Be prepared for no access to refills.

If you are on opioid pain killers, you do not want to be dealing with withdrawal. You also do not want to run out of your blood pressure meds or diabetes medications. Dialysis patients also need a plan. ASPR TRACIE (https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/) is a healthcare emergency preparedness web site. Some links:

Dialysis patients – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlB9cHDSUno
Methadone patients (read if you are on opioids also)- https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/aspr-tracie-ta-methadone-patients-during-emergencies-12-30-16-508.pdf

Your local emergency department may have information on medication refills after the earthquake occurs but keep in mind that the ED will be flooded with other life-or-death emergencies.

I would personally recommend:

Have a minimum one week supply of all of your medications
If you are on opioids, talk to your pain physician about medications you can be prescribed in case you run out. It is better for us to discuss this now, so you are clear on a plan in case it happens.

Make sure you do some simulations. Update your supplies (ex. Summer clothes vs winter clothes, check expiration on food bars). You will feel much better and more connected to your loved ones for being prepared.

EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

Happy autumn! I love the summer but also the cool energy that the fall brings as we settle into our hearts.

Topics: 1) Planning; 2) What to do during an actual earthquake; 3) 3-day evacuation supplies; 4) Prescription Refill Emergency

PLANNING

When leaving your home:

Know where your fire extinguisher is (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LTICQYE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Meeting places in the neighborhood: Do not leave your home during the earthquake. In case you have to evacuate your home, choose at least 2 safe places to meet up. You can try calling to see if these places (schools, corporate buildings) can accommodate earthquake victims.

Out of state contacts: have 2 people your family members can contact (phone and email) that are out-of-state. Offer to be their emergency contacts also! Local lines may be down.

Make a plan if your family is not together when the earthquake occurs. If you are not able to reach your family member after X number of days, what is your plan? Where are you going to try to meet? If you are disabled, where will you go?

Which emergency department will you go to if you can choose?

Walkie talkies, satellite radios, medical alert systems. In a dense city, the long-range walkie talkies don’t work. The satellite radios have a high subscription fee. For elderly patients, please check the capacity of your medical alert system in the event of a disaster.

Emergency Alerts – be informed!

Santa Clara has “Alert SCC” – install onto your phone! https://www.sccgov.org/sites/oes/alertscc/Pages/home.aspx

Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/alerts

FEMA: download the app onto your phone

WHAT TO DO DURING AN EARTHQUAKE

Read the following links with your family.

Sunnyvale Public Safety Tips: https://nextdoor.com/agency-post/ca/sunnyvale/department-of-public-safety-1/what-to-do-during-an-earthquake-117161827/

Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html

I have summarized only a few of the key points below so be sure to read the web sites above!

AT HOME/WORK

DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.

Don’t try leaving your home/building during an actual earthquake. Stay in bed when the earthquake strikes, cover your head with a pillow. Don’t use a doorway unless you know it is strongly supported. DO NOT use the elevators.

Ask your workplace what the plan is.

IF YOU GET BURIED

Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

PREPARING TO LEAVE YOUR HOME

We (2 people) decided to purchase pre-made survival items and to supplement. We have our backpacks in our cars along with 1 gallon of water and sneakers. If we are at home and need to evacuate, we have our utility wagon set to go.

Step 1 – Purchase:

Emergency Backpack 4 person, 72 hours https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y944P2W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mountain House Classic Bucket https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00955DUHQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Water: We got 18 gallons

Step 2- Supplement:

We made sure each backpack was complete for two people (ie. Maybe only 1 person can grab the backpack). Amazon.com had most everything.

Personal items: socks, underwear, heat-tech long underwear (Uniqlo), sneakers, jacket, pants, shirt, glasses, cash, personal documents, medications, sanitary napkins.

Documents: health insurance, ID, paper map, contacts list

Step 3- Utility Wagon

We already owned a utility wagon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GLPYRK2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

We added the mountain house classic bucket, 12 gallons of water, 2 person sleeping bag, tent, Jet Boil + Fuel.

The plan is to bring the utility wagon to a shelter if we need to evacuate our home.

PRESCRIPTION REFILL EMERGENCY

This is going to be tough! I called the County of Santa Clara Emergency Management (https://www.sccgov.org/sites/oes/Pages/home.aspx) and spoke to some people, and learned that there’s no set protocol for prescription refills after a disaster.

Be prepared for no access to refills.

Dialysis patients – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlB9cHDSUno

Methadone patients (read if you are on opioids also)- https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/aspr-tracie-ta-methadone-patients-during-emergencies-12-30-16-508.pdf

Your local emergency department may have information on medication refills after the earthquake occurs but keep in mind that the ED will be flooded with other life-or-death emergencies.

I would personally recommend:

Have a minimum one week supply of all of your medications

If you are on opioids, talk to your pain physician about medications you can be prescribed in case you run out. It is better for us to discuss this now, so you are clear on a plan in case it happens.

Make sure you do some simulations. Update your supplies (ex. Summer clothes vs winter clothes, check expiration on food bars). You will feel much better and more connected to your loved ones for being prepared.