Know how to react when a quake hits while you’re home

The national Ready Campaign says families should be able to answer these questions:

How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?

What is my shelter plan?

What is my evacuation route?

Here are practical tips on how to prepare for an earthquake: Gather the family and create a plan together. Pick safe places in each room to take cover in when the shaking begins — under furniture or against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall. Stay away from kitchens and garages, which tend to be the most dangerous places in a home because of the objects kept there. Also, doorways are not stronger than other parts of the house, so don’t rely on them for protection. Practice “Drop, cover and hold on” in each safe place — and schedule drills every six months. Conduct a “hazard hunt,” looking for objects that could fall or fly through the air. Put a working flashlight and shoes next to each bed. Teach everyone to knock on something three times repeatedly if trapped. Identify a safe place outside to meet after the shaking stops.

Fortify the foundation

Secure your house to its foundation with anchor bolts, if it hasn’t already been done. It will help prevent the structure from sliding off its foundation.

Install extra wooden sheeting along the home’s cripple walls — those short walls in the crawl space between the foundation and floor. That will also help keep the house on its foundation.

If you live in a softstory house, meaning the first floor is not well reinforced and could collapse in a big temblor, it’s recommended to spend the considerable amount of money it will take to have it retrofitted. Or if you don’t own the building, talk to the landlord about this. In some cases, the retrofit is required by local law.

For a mobile home, install braces or a tiedown system underneath to keep your house from collapsing during the shaking. Designate an outofstate person for everyone to call to relay information to. Assign someone to turn off the gas and to gather pets. Create an earthquake kit as a family, and include one comfort item per child, like a teddy bear or toy, as well as activities or children’s books. Talk about what to do if an earthquake happens while family members are at school or work — reassuring young children that they will be safe until picked up while also creating a meeting place for adults and older children.

— Kevin Fagan

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle 2018 Seismic retrofits can be expensive, but they’re worth it, and may even be required.