So, here's a few earthquake prep/safety tips

[Missy Vixen]

I realize the earthquake's already happened on the East Coast, but there may be aftershocks. Here are a few common sense tips from the West Coast.

1. Smell gas? GET OUT NOW. Call gas company from safe distance away. Watch out for downed power lines as well if you are outside.

2. There may be aftershocks. You are safer under a desk or a table than you are in a doorway.

3. Everyone is trying to call everyone right now. You're better off attempting to contact someone out of state, who can act as a "contact" for family members in the event of another emergency.

4. Take a deep breath. Take another deep breath. You are safe.

5. Stay away from large windows or breakable items in the event of aftershocks.

[rfranklin]

1. I admit it...I panicked and forgot to put my pants on before leaving the house...

and screaming in teror.

[Missy Vixen]

3. LOL

We had a 6.7 in Seattle in 2001. I was at the eye doctor's, in a hallway lined with very pale and shaken patients and doctors. I held out my arms and said, "Group hug!"

Everyone joined in.

:hug: to all in the path of what has to be a scary event.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. If that didn't terrorize the neighbors, nothing will.

Seriously, hope all is well if you were in the zone.

[abelenkpe]

2. Also stay away from chimneys

on the east coast they are usually brick and unsecured. Stay safe!

[Missy Vixen]

4. Absolutely

I'm reading on Twitter that multiple buildings in NYC are being evacuated as well.

Thinking of our East Coast friends this morning and hoping damage and injuries are minimal.

:grouphug:

[Xithras]

15. Yep.

In the 5.2 Napa quake in 2000, the only serious injury was a child almost crushed by a collapsing chimney. Many people were hurt by them in the Northridge quake too. It's not a problem in modern buildings, but there are still a lot of pre-1950's homes in California with masonry chimneys.

[gateley]

18. Good advice, my brother's chimney came down in CA during a quake. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Store some water. Have flashlights handy. Pull over if you're driving.

If your cats are missing, look under your bed.

[Missy Vixen]

7. I was wondering about gas pumps and ATM's

I know we're told to keep half a tank in the car at all times in case of earthquake; the pumps at the gas station may go offline. We're also told to keep a small amount of cash in the house at all times for the same reason.

Mostly, I agree with Nadin's thread: Bottled water might be a good idea as well.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Water mains break. It's always a good idea to have water available.

I went through a lot of quakes here on the west coast and in Japan. Notably, the 6.7 Northridge quake. The precautions to be taken are pretty much the same as you would take for hurricanes (I've been through one of those, too) on the east coast. However, I wouldn't advise running into the basement.

Obviously, you're electricity is still on. That's a good sign.

[Missy Vixen]

10. We're thirty miles east of Seattle

Mostly, we're checking on East Coast friends via Twitter.

I'm off to go see what CNN has to say about the whole thing.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Vancouver, here. Two refugees from California..but not because of eathquokes.

Got here in '81 haven't looked back. I do miss the eucalyptus trees and mockingbirds.

[w8liftinglady]

9. Thank you so much.

[dtexdem]

12. A few other things:

1. Check gas pipes and venting from things like hot water tanks, furnaces, other heaters, and so on (one very-minor quake in San Francisco misaligned the venting from a hot water tank next door, causing a minor fire that sent smoke into an office where I worked).
2. In a quake, don't evacuate by running out of a building -- you're putting yourself at risk of being hit by things falling from the building -- instead stand in a doorway or get under a desk or a table (under anything is better than not under anything). (In a quake in So Cal, at Santa Anita Racetrack a trainer ran to the spot where she was hit and killed by something falling from above -- much safer would have been to crouch down below the level of the seats in the grandstand.)
3. Don't call 911 to report the quake. They know. Use emergency lines (if you can get through) to report things like injuries requiring immediate attention or dangerous situations like fires starting.
4. Don't search for gas leaks using open flames for lighting -- in fact, don't search for gas leaks. If you DON'T smell gas (in which case, you should get away), turn off gas lines to which you have access.

5. Don't jump in the car and try to evacuate -- emergency vehicles need to use those streets.

[LynneSin]

13. You West Coasters can keep your earthquakes. We don't want them here anymore

Anyhow we have to deal with a Hurricane next. And 2 weeks ago we had a Tornado.

ugh!

[Hosnon]

14. I seem to recall you're one who berates the South when it gets a large snow,

relative to what the area is used to.

Just sayin.

[gateley]

21. Which is why I don't think any of the West Coasters meant

anything by their (my) posts today - just joking as we get when we're paralyzed by snow. I don't think any of it is mean spirited. And if there IS destruction and injury, everybody does care.

[hedgehog]

23. Snow is the disaster for which there is no excuse. If snow is

a problem, it means your community has made a decision that it's better to put up with the snow a few days than to spend the money to remove it.



Now ice, that's a problem!

[Hosnon]

25. For some communities, it's simply not worth it to invest to prepare for something that

might occur once every decade ("worth it" = economically and politically possible, such as small communities in NE Georgia).

And snow effectively means black ice in the South.

[Donnachaidh]

17. Google New Madrid.

You may not have a choice. If this one in Washington causes more pressure on New Madrid -- :rofl:

[gateley]

20. I'd rather have an earthquake (which you don't know is coming

and you don't have to fret, then it comes and it's over) than what a large part of the country has to deal with yearly. Don't know how you do it -- nerves of steel.

[LynneSin]

22. Blizzards or Hurricanes?

We really don't get Hurricanes here, Delaware has never had a direct hit (only coastal state on the east to not be hit).

Blizzards not much you can do but stock up on food & booze and enjoy the time inside. Luckily I live in the city and there is always one bar within walking distance that decides to open for the day. For us it's Dead Presidents on Union

[gateley]

24. Either one, you have to plan for it to come, make plans for

what you'll do when it arrives, and wait it out. Like I said, with a quake "whoa! wonder if this will be long" then it's over. But, yeah, walking distance to a bar makes whatever a lot more tolerable. :7

[Donnachaidh]

16. Cell phones won't work for shit after a quake

Landlines will, unless it's a big quake.

[gateley]

19. Texting works when phones don't, I've been told. nt

[Blue_In_AK]

26. I heard today that getting under things is NOT a good idea.

Better to get next to something solid and curl up in a fetal position. Things falling onto the thing you're laying next to should create a triangle of safety. That's the theory anyway.

In other words, if an earthquake wakes you when you're sleeping, just roll out of bed and curl up on the floor next to it.

[obxhead]

27. Any advice for the pets?

The last aftershock here (a few minutes ago) has the cat totally freaked out all over again.

sigh

[Raschel]

28. I wonder if they can hear a quake before humans feel it.

[obxhead]

30. This last shake seemed to catch her totally by surprise.

I had gotten her calmed down enough to come sit with me when it hit.

She's not buying the "it's ok" routine this time around.

[Raschel]

31. Poor baby. I guess we can't get them to override their instincts.

We need to tune in more to ours as well, but there's so much clutter out there!

[Missy Vixen]

29. You might want to get some Rescue Remedy, IMHO

It's a homeopathic combo of various flower extracts, and available in the "natural foods" or "supplements" area of the grocery store/drugstore. It's soothing for animals. People have been known to use it as well. Just a few drops on the tongue might help.

Our cats pretty much hid under the bed for a couple of days after each earthquake. I hope they'll decide it's safe to come out and cuddle with the humans.