Reply #14: Earthquake preparedness

[Missy Vixen]

>where you really have no warning.

That's right. There are a few things families can do to "prepare," but if one's preparations are in a now collapsed or unsafe to enter building, it's not going to work.

Three tips we learned after the last one: Keep $100 in small bills hidden in one's home at all times. After an earthquake, ATM's do not work without power, and most merchants can't take cards or checks. Keep a pair of sturdy shoes for every member of one's household in the trunk of the car; they come in handy if one needs to evacuate in the middle of the night. Have an out-of-state contact number to verify safety of loved ones; it's easier to call out of state than across town.

Julie