Prepare for what is most likely to happen.
In our area, that means preparing for earthquake, wildland fire and winter storm. Earthquakes and winter storms can leave you without power, water, and access to services for days or weeks. Wildland fire can make you evacuate your home. Being just a little prepared for these things can save you huge problems.
Prepare yourself, your family and your home.
Harden your home. Make sure there is a defensible space around your home, so fire is kept at a distance. Make sure you have fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, and they are in good condition. Keep a Go-Bag ready with 3 days of supplies for each person in your home, in case you need to evacuate. Keep 2 weeks of water and food, and other supplies necessary to live in your home if all services are cut off. Keep a spare pair of shoes and a flashlight in a bag under your bed, so you can get around safely after a major earthquake, when the floor might be covered with broken glass.
Make specific plans for what you will do in a disaster, and keep the whole family informed and practiced.
If you need to evacuate, you need to know where the family will meet later. Who can you call outside the disaster area to coordinate messages? If the main meeting place is not available, where is the next place you will try to meet? Have you prepared for pets, children, other family members with special needs? Do you have copies of your financial records, so you can get access to your accounts even if your home is destroyed? Do you know all of the ways into and out of your neighborhood?
Know your information sources.
Know how to get the official evacuation notices, and how to get timely information after an event like an earthquake. There are a number of resources for information in emergencies, from national and regional broadcast services to local volunteer networks.
Increase your own skills.
Classes are regularly available in CPR, First Aid, and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). These classes are all easy and interesting. And every bit of knowledge you have before an emergency will make you that much more prepared to come through it with fewer problems.
Get started today.
Sign up with SMCAlert. Keep your emergency contact info current. Get a Go-Bag, First Aid Kit and basic emergency supplies. Start your Home Plan. Talk to your neighbors about it all, and help each other to become safer.