While every location is going to have some kind of risk associated with living there, if you live in an area that is prone to having many or major earthquakes, this is something that you should plan and prepare for well before the next big one hits.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three things to do if you live in an area that is prone to earthquakes.
Make Sure Your Home Is Safe
The very first thing you should know about living in areas that are likely to have earthquakes is that your home is likely the safest place for you to be. However, if your home hasn’t been built properly, this won’t be the case for you.
Knowing this, you’ll want to be sure that the home you’re living in, be it a single-family home or a multi-family unit, is built to the right code for earthquakes. This should mean that not only is the ground beneath the building solid, but that the foundation of your home and all of the materials and construction used to create your home were put together with earthquakes in mind. This way, if and when an earthquake does strike, you can rest a little easier knowing that you’ll be as protected as you can be within the walls of your home.
Keep Your Big And Heavy Items Secure
Even if the structure of your home is firm and sturdy, what can make your home less secure is having belongings inside that can easily harm you when the walls and ground start shaking.
Since you can’t only fill your home with soft, light items, you have to know how to make your bigger and heavier items safe for you. To do this, you’re going to want to make sure that everything that could move or fall and cause you harm is bolted to the wall. This should include things like your entertainment center and TV, bookshelves, large storage units, and more. You’ll also want to be careful with anything that you hang from the ceiling or the walls, like chandeliers or artwork.
Always Keep Your Emergency Kit Current
Regardless of whether you live in a place that’s likely to get earthquakes or not, you should always have a current emergency kit at home that you can use if some kind of emergency strikes. Within this emergency kit that is meant to be used in the event of a large earthquake, you should keep things like a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, a small set of tools, a radio, a flashlight, and some safe drinking water with non-perishable food. All of these items can help keep you safe or alive if an earthquake hits.
If you live in or are about to move to an area that’s known to have decent earthquakes, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you stay safe out there.
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