3
2
TM
The Great
Washington
Prepare for an Earthquake
Practice drop, cover and hold. If you physically practice this,
you’ll have a better chance of remembering what to do
during a real earthquake. Register for the 2015 Great
Washington ShakeOut Drill on October 15h at
shakeout.org/washington/
.
Pick safe places in your home where you could drop, cover
and hold during an earthquake. Safe places could be under
a sturdy table or desk, or against an interior wall away from
windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you.
Remind family members to remember to do the same at work.
Have a fire extinguisher available and know when and how
to use it. The minimum recommended size is 2A:10BC.
Protect your home from earthquake damage by securing
items such as appliances, water heaters, bookcases, framed
pictures televisions and computers; installing cabinet latches
and securing valuable, sentimental or breakable items to
shelves with museum wax or museum putty to hold
breakables in place.
Check if your home was built before 1977. If so, check to see
if the frame is bolted to the foundation.
Your local office of emergency management has information
about the types of hazards in your area. Go to their web
site and get smart! Find your local emergency management
office at
makeitthrough.org/local-agencies/
.
Prepare for
a Tsunami
Tsunamis are large waves that happen because of an
earthquake out in the ocean or along a coastline a long
ways away. If you live along the coast or if you visit there
on vacation, you need to know what to do!
Learn about the tsunami risk in your community.
Learn about established tsunami evacuation routes
and pick the safest route from your home, school,
workplace or any other place you’ll be where tsunamis
present a risk. Try to go to an area at least 100 feet
above sea level or higher and two miles inland, away
from the coastline. Determine routes you would take by
car, and also by foot.
Make arrangements for housing in the event you need
to evacuate your home and always have your kit ready
to go.
Establish meeting places and phone numbers in case
family members are separated.
Register Now for the 2015 Great Washington
ShakeOut Drill on October 15h at
shakeout.org/washington/
.
Along the coast, there are blue and white
Tsunami Evacuation Route signs that tell
you where to go if you need to evacuate.
Next time you go to the ocean to visit, see
if you can find one or more of those signs!
Remember, if you have to evacuate, take your
kit with you. Make sure everyone in your
family knows your meeting places and has
each other’s phone numbers.
Landslides: Is Your Home Safe?
Get a ground assessment of your property.
Your county or city geologist or planning department
may have specific information on areas vulnerable to
landslides.
Seek the advice of geotechnical experts for
evaluating landslide hazards or designing corrective
techniques to reduce landslide risk.
Plant ground cover on slopes to stabilize the land,
and build retaining walls.
Plan at least two evacuation routes since roads may
become blocked or closed.
Make arrangements for housing in the event you
need to evacuate your home.
Plan for earthquakes and severe storms that can
cause a landslide.
For more information on landslide safety go to
makeitthrough.og/landslides/
.
Prevent and Prepare for a Fire at Home
Learn how to prevent fires in and around your home.
Common fire causes include cooking, smoking,
heaters, candles, electrical, arson and children
playing with fire.
Install and maintain smoke detectors on every level of
your home and inside and outside every bedroom.
Most fatal fires happen at night while you’re sleeping.
Even if you are a light sleeper, you will not smell
the smoke.
Have a fire extinguisher available and know when and
how to use it. Minimum recommended size is 2A:10BC.
Plan and physically practice a home escape plan as part
of your family disaster plan. Plan two ways out of every
room and practice how to safely exit in the event of a fire.
Provide escape ladders for stories above the first level
and make sure you practice using them.
Designate one outside meeting place so everyone in
your family knows where to meet once you’re out.
A good place may be somewhere in the front of your
home, a safe distance away, where firefighters can
account for you.
If you live in a multiple-family residence or assisted living
facility, learn what the emergency evacuation procedures
are for your complex. Make sure you are familiar with the
building’s fire protection systems, what they sound like,
how they activate and what to do if the alarm goes off.
Be sure to plan for family
members with special needs
who may require assistance.
It’s not a matter of “if,” but
“when” you’ll face a disaster. Will you be
ready to “Make it Through”? Go to
makeitthrough.org/letsbefrank/
for detailed
information on preparing for resiliency in
the event of a large disaster.
