Earthquake Preparations

1906 San Francisco earthquake, view of Larkin Street, City Hall, and Market Street

Living on the fault line, we are all aware that another big earthquake could take place at any time and that we should be prepared. But how many of us are truly ready at home? The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management recommends that all residents be prepared to survive self-sufficiently for at least 72 hours in the event of an earthquake or other disaster. At Cole Hardware, we mostly see interest in disaster preparations when there is an earthquake somewhere around the globe. Our stores sell complete emergency kits in a variety of sizes, or our staff members can help you assemble a kit. To minimize damage inside your home, we’ve put together a list of simple tasks to undertake to make your home earthquake ready.

Kitchen: Common hazards include shattered glass, spilled chemicals, gas-fed fires, and falling objects.

• Store all chemicals (oven cleaner, bleach, ammonia, etc.) at floor level in a secure cabinet. Read the labels and separate the chemicals according to manufacturer suggestions.
• All gas appliances must be installed with a flexible gas line.
• Install “childproof” or “quake” latches on all kitchen cabinet doors and drawers. This will keep breakables and heavy objects from falling out of cabinets. Store heaviest items on lower shelves.
• Put safety straps on open shelves, so items cannot slide off. Attach hanging plants, clocks, paintings, and kitchen pots to wall studs.

Bedroom: Pay attention to objects that could fall and injure you in bed or block your escape.

• Beds should be near an interior wall, away from windows.
• Do not mount pictures, mirrors, or other heavy objects above the bed. Place only soft art such as tapestries or unframed posters above beds.
• Beds with wheels on bare floors should be locked or placed on nonskid coasters.
• Attach tall furniture to wall studs to prevent it from falling over. Furniture safety straps are easy to use, inexpensive, and available in assorted colors to blend in with wood finishes.
• Place all heavy objects on low shelves, in closets, or on the floor. Secure lightweight collectibles with “pebbles” of museum wax.

Bathroom: Broken glass from mirrors, shower doors, and toiletries are the greatest hazards.

• Store all chemicals at floor level in a secure cabinet.
• Don’t store glass containers on open shelves.
• Install “childproof” or “quake” latches on medicine cabinets to keep items from falling out.

Living Areas: Falling furniture and televisions pose the greatest risk.

• Secure all tall furniture to wall studs with furniture safety straps.
• Secure televisions, computers, and stereos to shelving with safety straps. These are available for TVs, flat screen TVs, and computers.
• Use security or anti-theft hangers to attach pictures, plates, and mirrors. The A-Maze-ing Picture Hook traps the hanging wire in a maze, preventing objects up to 100 pounds from jumping off their hooks during an earthquake.
• Store heavy items on lower bookshelves and use museum wax to secure collectibles.
• Hanging plants should be hung away from windows, so they don’t swing into a window during an earthquake.

Garage, Basement, Laundry: Items stored in these areas can fall, causing injuries, damage, and hazardous spills.

• Water heaters are required to be anchored to wall studs or masonry with metal straps and lag screws. Cole Hardware has various kits available.
• Be sure the water heater is attached to the gas supply by a flexible gas line and shutoff that will flex during a quake.
• Remove all heavy objects from upper shelves, especially around the car, and store at floor level.
• All hazardous materials should be segregated in well-marked, unbreakable containers in a low cabinet with a quakeproof latch.