Earthquakes strike without warning, often lasting only seconds but leaving behind catastrophic destruction. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that several million earthquakes occur globally each year. In the United States, earthquake risk extends far beyond California — millions of Americans in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, the Intermountain West, the New Madrid Seismic Zone (Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee), and South Carolina live in moderate to high seismic risk zones. Ready.gov’s Earthquake Hazard Information Sheet outlines what every resident in these areas should know.
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Understanding Earthquake Hazards
An earthquake occurs when stress built up along geological fault lines is suddenly released, sending seismic waves radiating through the earth. Secondary hazards include building collapse (the leading cause of earthquake fatalities worldwide), fire from gas line ruptures, aftershocks, tsunamis from undersea faults, and landslides in mountainous regions.
Before an Earthquake: Building Preparedness
- Secure heavy furniture and objects. Anchor bookshelves, water heaters, and large appliances to walls. Use furniture straps and non-slip pads under appliances. Store heavy items on low shelves.
- Know your home’s structure. Older homes (pre-1980) may not be seismically retrofitted. Contact your local building department about earthquake retrofitting options.
- Identify safe spots in each room. Under a sturdy desk or table, against an interior wall away from windows. Avoid areas near exterior walls and windows.
- Prepare an emergency kit. Stock at least 72 hours of water (1 gallon per person per day), non-perishable food, a first aid kit, medications, flashlights, and batteries.
- Learn to shut off utilities. Know where your gas, water, and electrical shutoffs are and how to operate them. Keep a wrench near your gas meter.
- Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On — the internationally recommended action during shaking. Drill your household regularly.
During an Earthquake: Drop, Cover, and Hold On
- DROP to your hands and knees. This prevents you from being knocked down and allows you to move if necessary.
- COVER your head and neck with your arms. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it. If not, stay next to an interior wall, away from windows.
- HOLD ON to your shelter until shaking stops. Be prepared for aftershocks.
Do not run outside during shaking — most injuries occur from falling debris as people try to move. If driving, pull over away from overpasses and bridges, set your parking brake, and stay inside the vehicle.
After an Earthquake
- Expect aftershocks — Drop, Cover, and Hold On each time one hits
- Check for injuries and provide first aid; do not move seriously injured persons unless in immediate danger
- Check for hazards: fires, gas leaks, structural damage. If you smell gas, open windows, leave, and call the gas company
- If you are near the coast, move inland or to high ground immediately — a major earthquake may generate a tsunami
- Conserve phone battery; use text messages rather than voice calls
How PubSafe Helps After an Earthquake
The hours after a major earthquake are characterized by confusion, fragmented communication, and overwhelmed emergency services. PubSafe allows community members to share real-time location and safety status, report damage and hazards, coordinate volunteer resources, and receive official updates — even when traditional media channels are disrupted. In a major earthquake scenario, 911 lines will be overwhelmed and cellular networks congested. PubSafe provides a resilient communication alternative. Connecting your neighborhood through PubSafe before an earthquake is community preparedness that saves lives during the critical hours after the shaking stops.
Resources
- Ready.gov Earthquake page
- USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: earthquake.usgs.gov
- Earthquake Country Alliance: earthquakecountry.org
Download the Ready.gov Earthquake Hazard Information Sheet, share it with your household, and build your emergency supply kit today. Then connect your neighbors on PubSafe.
Seismic Retrofitting: Protecting Your Home Before the Earthquake
One of the most effective actions a homeowner in an earthquake-prone region can take is seismic retrofitting — upgrading the structural connections of an older home to improve its resistance to earthquake shaking. Studies of damage patterns in past earthquakes consistently show that homes built before modern seismic codes were adopted (generally pre-1980, though this varies by location) are far more likely to suffer severe damage or collapse than those built or retrofitted to current standards.
The most common type of retrofit for older wood-frame homes is called a “cripple wall” or “bolting and bracing” retrofit. This involves: bolting the home’s wood framing to its concrete foundation, and adding plywood shear walls to the short “cripple walls” between the foundation and the first floor. This prevents the most common earthquake failure mode for older California-style homes, where the house literally slides off its foundation during shaking. FEMA’s Handbook for Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings (FEMA 310) and the California Earthquake Authority’s Brace+Bolt program provide detailed guidance and financial incentives for homeowners in California. Similar programs exist in Oregon and Washington.
For apartment buildings and commercial structures, more complex retrofits may be required. Many cities in California have mandatory retrofit programs for soft-story apartment buildings (those with large open areas like parking garages on the ground floor) and unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, which are particularly dangerous in earthquakes. If you live in an older apartment building, check with your local building department about its compliance status.
Business Earthquake Preparedness and Continuity Planning
Businesses in earthquake-prone regions need earthquake-specific elements in their business continuity plans. Key considerations include: structural assessment of your business premises (particularly for older buildings); securing equipment, shelving, and heavy objects that could become projectiles during shaking; maintaining an emergency supply kit at the workplace (water, first aid, food, flashlights, hard hats and dust masks for post-earthquake hazard assessment); developing communication plans for employees who may be separated from the workplace during a major event; identifying alternate work locations if your primary location is rendered unusable; reviewing your property and business interruption insurance for earthquake coverage.
Major earthquakes can disrupt supply chains, transportation networks, and utility services for extended periods. Businesses that have thought through these scenarios and developed contingency plans are significantly better positioned to survive and recover from a major earthquake. The Business Continuity Institute and FEMA’s Ready Business program both provide earthquake-specific planning resources.
Earthquake Early Warning: ShakeAlert
The USGS, in partnership with state geological agencies in California, Oregon, and Washington, has deployed the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System along the West Coast. ShakeAlert detects the fast-moving, less-destructive P-waves from an earthquake and sends alerts to receiving devices — smartphones, sirens, and automated systems — before the more destructive S-waves and surface waves arrive. Depending on your distance from the earthquake’s epicenter, you may receive anywhere from seconds to more than a minute of advance warning.
This warning time is enough to take protective actions: Drop, Cover, and Hold On; slow a moving vehicle; clear a dangerous area; or automatically halt critical processes in industrial facilities. In California, ShakeAlert alerts are delivered through the MyShake app and the state’s Wireless Emergency Alert system. Similar implementations are being rolled out in Oregon and Washington. This is a free, life-saving technology — download the MyShake app if you are in the West Coast region, and sign up for ShakeAlert notifications through your state emergency management agency. And connect your community on PubSafe so that your neighborhood has a resilient communication layer ready to activate in the critical minutes and hours after a major quake.
