Earthquake Emergencies - 21 Tips To Keep In Mind

By Abhishek Agarwal

Earthquakes are one of the most devastating among all natural disasters. A rather disturbing yet unavoidable fact for the mankind is that none of the equipments, science or measurement scales is able to predict the precise way & time of the earthquake.
The only and hence the most effective means to minimize the severe effects of earthquakes amidst the human lives is making adequate preparations for the earthquake emergencies.
In the situation of an earthquake, one feels that the ground is shaking or rolling. In case the earthquake is a very sever one, that is the movements of earth's crust are really violent, one might also hear the ground roaring or rumbling.
These characteristics of an earthquake cause sheer panic among the people. Eventually this jeopardizes one's chance of the survival. Luckily strong & devastating earthquakes do not happen that usually. Even in the locations where there is a minimal chance of earthquakes that is the places & nations that are located near the ring of fire of the earth, it is imperative to have some emergency plans to keep yourself and your family safe.
Here are some tips that might help you getting prepared for the emergencies:
1. Prepare the emergency kits
a. It is very hard to know as to what remains after the earthquakes, so in case you live in an area really prone to the earthquakes, you must keep the emergency kits ready.
b. There must be one kit for everyone in the house.
c. Each emergency kit is your lifeline ensuring your survival after the earthquake.
d. It should contain:
i. One gallon water
ii. Food supply for at least 3 days
iii. Select only non-perishable food
iv. The first aid kit
e. Make sure that you regularly change the contents of the kit like food & water.
f. Make sure that the food & water in the kit are of good edible quality else they would be of little use only.
2. Know All the Mains of All Your Utilities
a. Earthquakes often lead to fire due to gas leaks & electricity.
b. You must know the main switches of all your utilities, so that you may turn them off as & when needed.
3. Inspect the House for Cracks & Fissures
a. Make sure to check your house's condition regularly in order to ensure that it can withstand even all the strong earthquakes.
b. Make sure that there are no cracks on the walls & chimney.
c. The door frames must be fixed.
d. In case you live in some apartment, instantly report the cracks & fissures to the landlord.
4. Have the Evacuation Plan
a. Make sure that you & your family or the office mates have an emergency plan to face the disasters, like fire, earthquakes & floods.
b. Every member must be aware of their duties and safety measures in such situations.
c. Early preparation would ensure rather more safety of the family.
d. Panic & confusion often lead to accidents & injuries.
Tips to face the Earthquake Emergency while it is Overhead
1. Make sure to stay away from the objects that may fall off.
2. Make sure to stay away from the book cases, hanging objects, cabinets, like chandeliers, ceiling fans, etc.
3. It is always advisable to stay laying down under some sturdy tables and / or door frames.
4. Just don't run around.
5. Do not make an attempt to leave the house.
6. Outside the house there are rather dangerous things waiting to injure you, like lamp posts and cars.
7. The emergency kit must be very accessible and ready all the time.
8. If possible, place the emergency kit in some place where everyone in the house or the office would run in to during a quake.
9. Make sure to stay away from your kitchen. This can be the most dangerous spot of the house in case of earthquakes, with the various pots & pans hanging around & drawers full of cutlery & knives.
10. Furthermore, gas leakage in the kitchen can be quite dangerous owing to the fire involved.
After the earthquake
1. Make sure not to light a match and / or the candle immediately after the earth quake. In case the gas there is leaking, it might catch the flame.
2. Switch off the main gas valve before lighting the match or candle.
3. In case you are suspecting gas leakage, open all the windows & evacuate the house immediately.
4. Now, call your gas company, after you have moved away from the spot of gas leakage.
5. Make the call, only when you are out of that spot as the mobile phone usage in the gas can also lead to a flame.
6. Often earthquakes are followed by some aftershocks. Do not put your guards down even though you, your house and the family are all safe.
7. Check the news to get information on the earthquake & other important updates.

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What an Earthquake Feels Like and What to Do When One Occurs

By Roy Varni

Having been born and raised in California and having lived there until 1970, I (alone or with my family) have felt a number of earthquakes. We have been fortunate, however, to have suffered no bodily harm or property damage from any of them other than, perhaps, some minor cracked plastered ceilings and walls.
There is a USGS website that lists all California earthquakes recorded since 1769 to the present. The site lists the dates and times as well as the magnitude and the exact location of any quake that measured more than 6.0 during all those years. There are only a few quakes that stand out vividly in my memory and, luckily, none is shown in the above named website. So, my personal experience with earthquakes might be considered insignificant.
Well, being there during a quake has never been insignificant to me. In my youth, both in the classroom and at home, it was scary when either place started to shake. All of us, whether young or old, seemed to share that instant fear that results when the ground beneath us begins to move and we can't do anything about it. Since I have no recollection of any dates of those tremors that I did experience in my youth, they were either "insignificant" or forgotten.
There are three eventful earthquakes that I , alone or in the company of one or more of my family, did experience. I remember them vividly - they are difficult to forget. The first was another one of those that did not make the USGS list of major earth movements in California. It was in 1955 and our oldest daughter who was then six years old was walking with me in our back yard in Redwood City. As the shaking intensified I held her to me with one arm as I held on to one of our fruit trees with the other. All three of us (my daughter and I, and the tree) wobbled back and forth for an almost interminable two or three minutes that to us felt like hours.
The second one was in 1963. Our entire family was visiting Disneyland in Southern California. The earth started to shake just as we were beginning to walk from our hotel toward the famous landmark. By the time we reached the entrance to Disneyland, a distance of only a few blocks, all the streets and sidewalks were awash from the water that had sloshed out of the many nearby hotel swimming pools as a result of the prolonged back and forth shaking.
My last experience with an earthquake was a lonely one during a religious retreat in San Juan Bautista, California. It was some time in the late sixties and I was alone in the old on site chapel. As the building, with its woodwork creaking, started to shake I quickly headed for the door to the outside. I remember saying a little prayer - something like, "Help me get out of here in time, Dear Heavenly Father. But, if I must go, what better place to finally meet you!"
If you are outside when the earth starts to shake, it would probably be safest to be in the middle of an empty parking lot. Little if anything could then drop on to you and hurt you. If not in a parking lot, and there is a tree nearby, grab it and hold on for dear life. Try to get as far away as possible from a brick building - especially an old one. If there are old brick buildings everywhere, then try to stand in a doorway of one of them with the hope that it will protect you from falling debris. If you are inside when the shaking begins, again stand in a doorway or crawl under a heavy piece of furniture like a dining room table. Under a bed with a good mattress is not the worst place to hide. These are my personal safety suggestions of what to do when the earth starts to shake. Our home is here in Juneau, Alaska which is located along a highly seismically active area called "The Ring of Fire" that, thankfully, has remained quiet all the years since 1970 when we first arrived in this most beautiful and peaceful place. So far, the only thing that has fallen on us has been the rain.

I love writing and doing book reviews. I enjoy reading and writing mysteries and thrillers of all kinds; especially my own. Historical facts are often blended into my stories.

Should You Invest in Flood Or Earthquake Insurance?

By Henry Fleet

There are two types of insurance in particular that you should consider if you are a home owner. These are flood insurance and earthquake insurance. Of course, this is not for everyone, but if you live in an area where either of these is highly relevant, acquiring either of these is a solid investment. However, if you are living in an area that is prone to floods or earthquakes, it is important to understand that most property policies will not cover these disasters. On the flipside, some independent carriers in fact offer both. For flood insurance, you can also contact the National Flood Insurance Program if you cannot find a provider which covers flood insurance. In California, you can obtain earthquake insurance through the California Earthquake Authority.
Flood insurance represents the specific insurance coverage against property loss from flooding. To settle on the risk factors for specific properties, insurers will often look at topographical maps that refer to lowlands and floodplains that are at risk for flooding. Insurers in the US do not provide flood insurance coverage due to the hazard of flood typically being confined to a few areas. Because of this, it is an objectionable risk because of the inability to extend the risk on a broad enough populace to suck up the latent disastrous nature of the vulnerability. As a result of this, the federal government formed the National Flood Insurance Program in 1968.
Some states only have one type of natural disaster, and that is the earthquake. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you invest in earthquake insurance if your state is prone to this natural disaster. Most likely the most imperative thing to recognize about earthquake insurance is that a basic homeowners policy will not cover earthquake damage. But even if you do not live in an area where earthquakes are common, it is possible that you might need earthquake insurance.
Every year, more homeowners get rid of their earthquake coverage than buy it because, according to end user groups, consumers carry the belief the policies cost too much and cover too little. Earthquake insurance can be quite inexpensive depending on where you live. It is a good idea to contact your insurance agent or company to find out what the costs would be for your home.
Not surprisingly, Californians buy the most earthquake insurance, but earthquake insurance has been sold to residents of all 50 states. But earthquake insurance is not like health insurance or auto insurance. It is catastrophic insurance. It is what insurance was invented for in the first place, which is for protecting yourself against a destructive financial loss that will come to pass at some point in the future, even if it is not to be in your lifetime.
Is it available, and is it too pricey? That depends on the insured value of your home, the location of your home, and the age and construction type of it, in addition to your delivery service and your deductible. Either way, those are the facts, and now that you are equipped with the knowledge, it is now a little easier to know whether you should invest in either flood or earthquake insurance.

This article was brought to you by Southern Insurance Group. They are a true independent agency that will shop for the best homeowner coverage. They are the insurance experts with over 25 of the top insurance companies throughout the industry. For immediate insurance needs you can call 352-243-9000.
Have additional questions about flood insurance in Central Florida? Make sure to get more information on flood insurance at insurance brokers Orlando or Clermont flood insurance.
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Where to Get Affordable Homeowners Insurance - Earthquake Protection

By Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker

Homeowners insurance earthquake protection is not included in most homeowners' policies. Therefore, if you live within a few hundred miles of a major fault line, you should consider buying an earthquake endorsement to your homeowners policy.
Earthquake policies provide protection from the shaking and cracking that can destroy buildings and personal possessions. Fire and water damage due to burst gas and water pipes is covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. The cost of an earthquake endorsement depends on the probability of an earthquake in your location, the soil type, and the building structure. The deductibles are generally ten to fifteen percent of the building's structural limit.
Comparison Shop
When you decide to buy earthquake insurance, it's important that you check the rates of several companies. You can go online to an insurance comparison website and get quote estimates from reputable companies. You'll want to be sure that the company you select is financially stable and will be able to pay claims in the case of a large earthquake affecting many homes.
Prepare for a Quake
You can also take steps to prepare your home for an earthquake. Such preparation will minimize the potential damage if a major earthquake occurs and may get you some discounts on your earthquake insurance:
* Brace your home's water heater to reduce the risk of fire and water damage that could occur if the water heater fell over
* Fasten bookcases, mirrors, televisions, and other tall or heavy appliances and pieces of furniture to wall studs so they will not fall over
* Ensure that all family members how to shut off the gas and install a gas shut off valve
* Attach childproof latches to cupboard doors so they will stay closed and the contents won't fall out
* Bolt the home's wood frame to the foundation
* If the home has a raised foundation, brace cripple walls

Where to Get the Best Rate
Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/homeowners-insurance.html or click on the following link to get homeowners earthquake insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more tips and advice in their Articles section, and get answers to your questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.
The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written numerous articles on homeowners insurance earthquake protection.
Visit the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program to learn about earthquakes worldwide ... What to Do During an Earthquake; Earthquake Preparedness a

Preparedness for Disasters Earthquake Emergency Kits for All

By Andi Murfy

Nature's fury is something that you cannot escape, no matter how hard you try. One form of that fury is earthquake. People living in earthquake-prone areas should always be prepared for the consequences of unwanted quakes. It is quite likely that any natural calamity can cut you off from your basic needs resources such as water, electricity, food supply and money.
A resident of an earthquake prone area should plan to stock at least 72 hour's worth of basic supplies such as water, food bars, torch lights and cash as a measure of mitigation. You can make your own kit or choose to buy a kit.
Ready-made earthquake kits are pre-packaged set of supplies that have been made with great consideration and experience that come very handy in such cases. A typical earthquake kit contains:
1. Water container with 5 gallons of water
2. Water purification tablets
3. Food bars
4. Lights with batteries
5. Radio
6. Portable toilet and sanitary bags
7. Solar blankets and ponchos
8. Universal mobile charger
9. First aid kit with medications for common ailments
Consider the needs of each individual, and either customize each kit for them, or buy separate specialized emergency kits.If you have a pet, you need to buy a pet survival kit that has all the necessary pet food and sanitary bags that can last at least 3 days. If there are people with special needs, you may have to buy a medical kit that caters for their needs. It is a good idea to have a separate first aid and survival kit for each member.
Survival kits are essential. They can help you cope with any calamity. After earthquakes, it usually takes up to 3 days for any kind of help to arrive and restore things to normal. To pull through those 72 hours, buy an emergency kit to keep you going.

Andy Murfy, Publisher, Owner, and Manager of Emergency and Disaster Supplies. We can help you prepare for any emergency kits or safety supplies. Use our free information, resources, printable forms, and our blog ideas.
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