Shift Happens — Secure Your Space

You can’t control how an earthquake will shake you, but you can change how much it will harm you. Act now to “Secure Your Space”.

Earthquakes can cause major property damage to your home and its contents. This can lead to serious injuries or even death for occupants. In the 1994 Northridge earthquake, over 9,000 people were injured, and 33 people were killed. More than half of the injuries were cuts, bruises, and sprains caused by falling objects. Only 1% of injuries were caused by building damage. Many of the deaths and injuries could have been prevented through actions taken before the earthquake.

There are two parts to Secure Your Space.

The first part of “Securing Your Space” refers to buildings, and the need to retrofit potential weaknesses in the structure of your home or apartments. It can also refer to those elements that are not part of the structural floor/ceiling/walls but are considered a part of the building, for instance, electrical systems or mechanical systems such as heating, water, and so forth.

Older buildings were usually not built to withstand earthquakes. The wood frame may not be bolted to the concrete foundation, or the foundation may be poorly built and/or cripple walls are not reinforced. Other vulnerable structures include those built on post-and-pier or un reinforced masonry foundations, homes built on steep slopes, those with un reinforced masonry walls, or rooms built over existing garages. Additional poor-performers include concrete tilt-up construction, mostly used by businesses, but also mobile homes, and those with “soft stories” such as tuck-under parking on the first floor. These buildings are vulnerable, but there are ways to strengthen them to resist earthquakes.

The second part of “Secure Your Space” includes securing your stuff.

Falling objects can injure or pin you, your loved ones, friends, or customers. Damage to stuff in your home or business can also be traumatizing and a devastating financial loss. Business can be interrupted when needed equipment is damaged.

The “Secure Your Space” solutions include strapping top-heavy furniture and appliances to walls, adding latches to kitchen cabinets, and securing TVs and other heavy objects that can topple and cause serious injuries. Other items that need to be secured include: bookshelves, windows, televisions, computers, water heaters, lights, dishes, breakables, paintings, office equipment, file cabinets, and ventilation ducts, to name a few. In some cases, objects can be replaced with a more secure substitute, reducing or eliminating a hazard. For example, new light fixtures might be considered in place of securing old heavier ones. Other hazards can be avoided by relocating, removing, or taking cover from them. Straps, latches, Velcro™, brackets, earthquake wax, earthquake putty, wire, and bolts are some of the ways to secure a wide range of objects to avoid loss and damage during an earthquake. Most of these tools are available at your local hardware store.

Begin by relocating an object so that it can be braced and pose no threat of injuring anyone. Objects should also be relocated to avoid blocking exits if they fall. The readiness actions of “Secure Your Space” taken before the next earthquake are designed to reduce your risk of injury and financial loss.

When an earthquake does occur, you should still Drop, Cover, and Hold On immediately to protect yourself from anything that is not secured. Face away from windows or mirrors to protect your face from flying glass. You will be largely on your own following a catastrophic earthquake, so you need to survive the event as uninjured as possible. “Secure Your Space” to address the hazards described above that may injure people at work and home, and cause serious financial impacts to you and your family. For more information, visit www.daretoprepare.org.