Earthquake Preparedness: Are You Ready?
Earthquakes strike suddenly and without warning. Knowing what to do before a disaster can reduce the likelihood of personal loss or injury.
Preparation Reduces Risk
Being unprepared for a major earthquake can place you at risk of injury and limit your access to food, water, medical supplies, and other necessities. Because an earthquake may overwhelm emergency crews and obstruct roadways, assistance may not be immediately available. In addition, water, gas, electricity, and phone service may be nonfunctional.
The period immediately following any disaster can leave you the most vulnerable. You should expect to depend on your own resources during the first 72 hours after an earthquake. By taking precautions and having adequate supplies on hand, you can both minimize your risk during an earthquake and ensure your safety in the aftermath.
Organizations such as the American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offer tips to prepare yourself and your home for a disaster. Some of these suggestions include:
- Eliminate Potential Hazards
Identify items in your home that can cause injury during a quake. Secure items such as refrigerators, water heaters, and top-heavy furniture to walls to keep them stabilized. Install latches on cabinet doors to keep contents inside.
- Organize a Disaster-Preparedness Plan
Designate someone outside the area for family members to contact in the event that you are separated from others when a quake occurs. Preselect a location for everyone to reunite once it is safe to move about. Conduct practice drills, and make changes to your plan when needed.
- Create a Disaster-Preparedness Kit
A disaster kit should include enough food and water to last at least three to five days. Kits should also contain necessities such as medications, first-aid supplies, a radio, a flashlight, batteries, personal hygiene items, a fire extinguisher, and cash.
- Remain Calm
Practice the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” drill, and be aware of the safest spots in your home (in hallways, against interior walls, under sturdy tables). Knowing how to protect yourself and where to take cover will help you stay calm during a quake.
Employee Safety and Business Continuity
In preparation for a major earthquake, State Fund has taken steps to ensure employee safety and minimize any disruption of service. To protect employees, each office has evacuation procedures and recovery strategies in place. Our offices are instructed on the importance of maintaining emergency food and water supplies and training employees in emergency preparedness.
State Fund is also prepared to maintain business operations in the aftermath of a major earthquake. Each State Fund office has a business continuity plan that identifies the procedures to follow in the event of a disaster.
If a disaster occurs, the Crisis Response Team assesses the situation and recommends a course of action. If a building is unavailable for at least three days, the team activates the business continuity plan, and State Fund's Incident Command Team organizes the recovery process. If a location requires additional staff, office space, or equipment, resources are delivered to aid in the recovery process. State Fund also assures the security of systems and data by maintaining back-up computer network systems in multiple locations.
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