The difference between a scare and an emergency is usually what you did beforehand. Here's a practical checklist of what to pack, how much water and food to store, and how to make your home safer — plus what to do the moment the ground moves.
Most earthquake injuries come from falling objects and broken glass, not collapsing buildings. Secure tall furniture and your water heater to wall studs, move heavy items to low shelves, and add latches to cabinets. Learn where your gas and water shutoffs are and keep the right tool beside them.
How much of this matters depends on where you live. Check the recent quake history and fault context for your area:
Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Drop to your hands and knees, take cover under a sturdy table or against an interior wall, and hold on until it stops. Stay away from windows; if you're in bed, stay there and protect your head with a pillow. Don't run outside mid-shaking — most injuries happen when people try to move.
Afterward: check yourself and others for injuries, expect aftershocks, and if you smell gas or hear hissing, shut it off and leave. Use text or the radio rather than phone calls to keep networks clear.
At minimum: one gallon of water per person per day for several days, non-perishable food, a flashlight with spare batteries, a first-aid kit, any daily medications, a whistle, sturdy shoes and work gloves, copies of important documents, and some cash. Start with a 3-day kit and build toward a two-week supply.
Plan on one gallon per person per day — roughly half for drinking and half for cooking and hygiene. Three days is the common minimum, but two weeks is a better target because water service can be disrupted for a long time after a major quake.
Drop, Cover, and Hold On: drop to your hands and knees, take cover under a sturdy table or against an interior wall, and hold on until the shaking stops. Stay away from windows. If you're in bed, stay there and protect your head with a pillow.
Secure tall furniture and water heaters to wall studs, move heavy items to low shelves, learn how to shut off your gas and water, and keep sturdy shoes and a flashlight beside each bed. These low-cost steps prevent the most common earthquake injuries.
Review it about twice a year — rotate water and food before they expire, refresh medications, test batteries, and update documents and clothing sizes, especially for growing kids.