MAKE YOUR HOUSE A SAFE SANCTUARY

When the Big One hits — we’re talking about a massive earthquake that causes towers and bridges to collapse and turns the region into chaos — you’ll find yourself in ultimate survival mode. Your house, or those around you, may now be smoking debris. People will die, emergency services will be overwhelmed and power will probably be out for days.

Shelters will eventually open and governmental aid will arrive to ease the day-to-day struggle, but don’t count on that happening right away.

Your best chances of ensuring that you and your family emerge relatively unscathed after a devastating earthquake that occurs while you’re at home is to make sure your house is a sanctuary of safety. Here’s what you can do to have the best chance of that happening:

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 soft-story house, meaning the first floor is not well reinforced and will 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 tie-down system underneath to keep your house from collapsing during the shaking. The gas shut-off valve is parallel to the pipe, usually 6 to 8 inches above the ground. Use a 12-inch or larger adjustable wrench to give the valve a quarter turn, so that it is crosswise to the pipe.

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— Kevin Fagan