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 Campus Safety & Emergency Response
Earthquakes And Other Disasters:
Evacuation
- Evacuate immediately if told to do so:
- Listen to your battery-powered radio and follow the instructions of local emergency officials.
- Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.
- Take your disaster supplies kit.
- Lock your home.
- Use travel routes specified by local authorities don't use shortcuts because certain areas may be impassable or dangerous.
If You're Sure You Have Time:
- Shut off water, gas and electricity before leaving, if instructed to do so.
- Post a note telling others when you left and where you are going.
- Make arrangements for your pets.
Emergency Supplies
Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least three days. Assemble a disaster supplies kit with items you may need in an evacuation. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers such as back-packs, duffle bags or covered trash containers. Include:
- A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't spoil.
- One change of clothing and footwear per person, and one blanket or sleeping bag per person.
- A first-aid kit that includes your family's prescription medications.
- Emergency tools including a battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries.
- An extra set of car keys and a credit card, cash or traveler's checks.
- Sanitation supplies.
- Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members.
- An extra pair of glasses.
- Keep important family documents in a waterproof container. Keep a smaller kit in the trunk of your car.
Utilities
- Locate the main electric fuse box, water service main and natural gas main. Learn how and when to turn these utilities off. Teach all responsible family members. Keep necessary tools near gas and water shut-off valves.
- Remember, turn off the utilities only if you suspect the lines are damaged or if you are instructed to do so. If you turn the gas off, you will need a professional to turn it back on.
If Disaster Strikes:
Remain calm and patient. Put your plan into action.
- Check for injuries
- Give first aid and get help for seriously injured people.
- Listen to your battery-powered radio for news and instructions
- Evacuate, if advised to do so. Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.
Check for damage in your home ...
- Use flashlights -- do not light matches or turn on electrical switches, if you suspect damage.
- Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone outside quickly.
- Shut off any other damaged utilities. (You will need a professional to turn gas back on.)
- Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline and other flammable liquids immediately.
Remember to ...
- Confine or secure your pets.
- Call your family contact -- do not use the telephone again unless it is a life-threatening emergency.
- Check on your neighbors, especially elderly or disabled persons.
- Make sure you have an adequate water supply in case service is cut off.
- Stay away from downed power lines
What should I do during and earthquake?
- If you are indoors, stay there.
- DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON!
- Get under a desk or table and hang onto it, or move into a hallway or get against an inside wall. Stay clear of windows, fireplaces and heavy furniture or appliances. Get out of the kitchen, which is a dangerous place (things can fall on you). Do not run downstairs or rush outside while the building is shaking or while there is danger of falling and hurting yourself or being hit by falling glass or debris.
- If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow.
- If you are outside, get into the open away from bldgs, power lines, chimneys, and anything else that might fall on you.
- If you are driving, stop, but carefully. Move your car as far out of traffic as possible. Do not stop on or under a bridge or overpass or under trees, light posts, power lines, or signs. Stay inside your car until the shaking stops. When you resume driving watch for breaks in the pavement, fallen rocks, and bumps in the road at bridge approaches.
- If you are in a mountainous area, watch out for falling rock, landslides, trees, and other debris that could be loosened by quakes.
Things not to do during an earthquake:
- Do not turn on the gas again if you turned it off. Let the gas company do it.
- Do not use matches, lighters, camp stoves or barbecues, electrical equipment, appliances until you are sure there are no gas leaks. They may create a spark that could ignite leaking gas and cause an explosion and fire.
- Do not use your telephone, except for a medical or fire emergency. You could tie up the lines needed for emergency response. If the phone doesn't work send someone for help.
- Do not expect firefighters, police or paramedics to help you. They may not be available.
What can I expect in my house when an earthquake occurs? How do I identify it? What can be done?
The contents of your home may be damaged and can be dangerous:
- Shaking can make light fixtures fall, refrigerators and other large items move across the floor, and bookcases and television sets topple over. IDENTIFY: Look around your house for things that could fall or move
- Ask yourself if your cupboard doors fly open (allowing dishes to shatter on the floor)
- Is TV and stereo fastened down and are shelves fastened to wall? Do you have hanging plants or light fixtures that might fall? Is there a heavy picture or mirror on the wall over your bed?
WHAT CAN BE DONE: (See above) You can install door latches, braces and fasteners to fix most of these hazards yourself. Bolt bookcases, china cabinets and other tall furniture to wall studs. Install strong latches on cupboards. Strap the water heater to wall studs. Bolt down gas appliances.
What do I do after an earthquake?
- PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FURTHER INJURIES by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes and work gloves to avoid injury from broken glass and debris. Expect aftershocks.
- CHECK FOR INJURIES (if a person is bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound, use clean gauze or cloth if available; If a person is not breathing administer CPR; DO NOT attempt to move seriously injured persons unless they are in further danger of injury; COVER injured persons with blankets to keep warm; SEEK medical help for serious injuries
- CHECK FOR HAZARDS (Fire hazards--put out fires in your home or neighborhood immediately, call for help; Gas leaks--shut off main gas valve ONLY if you suspect a leak because of broken pipes or odor;
Damaged electrical wiring--Shut off power at the control box if there is any danger to house wiring; Downed or damaged utility lines--do not touch downed power lines or any objects in contact with them; SPILLS--clean up any spilled medicines, drugs, or other harmful materials such as bleach, lye, gas; DOWNED OR DAMAGED CHIMNEYS--Approach with caution--don't use damaged chimney (it could start fire or let poisonous gases into your house; FALLEN ITEMS--beware of items tumbling off shelves when you open doors of closets and cupboards;
- CHECK FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES--Do not eat or drink anything from open containers near shattered glass; If power is off, plan meals to use up foods that will spoil quickly or frozen foods (food in the freezer should be good for at least a couple of days; Don't light your kitchen stove if you suspect a gas leak; USE BBQ or camp stoves, outdoors only for emergency cooking; If your water is off you can drink supplies from water heaters, melted ice cubes or canned vegetables (AVOID drinking water from swimming pools or especially spas--it may have too many chemicals in it to be safe.)
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