Make sure you have looked around your home for ways to protect everybody inside in the event of an earthquake.

• Install a fire extinguisher near your kitchen and learn how to use it.
• Check that all tall furniture (book shelves, china cabinets, etc.) are anchored to the wall
• Use “earthquake picture hooks” for all pictures/wall hangings above beds
• Check that your water heater is strapped to the wall.
• Install child locks on the doors of cabinets where you store your best dishes.
• After an earthquake, yours escape doors may be stuck. Buy an inexpensive pry bar, store it in your house and use it to force open the door.

A component of your disaster kit is your Go-bag. Put the following items together in a backpack or another easy to carry container in case you must evacuate quickly. Prepare one Go-bag for each family member and make sure each has an I.D. tag. You may not be at home when an emergency strikes so keep some additional supplies in your car or at work, considering what you would need for your immediate safety.

• Flashlight
• Radio – battery operated
• Batteries
• Whistle
• Dust masks
• Pocket knife
• Emergency cash in small denominations and quarters for phone calls
• Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, and a warm hat
• Local map
• Some water and food
• Permanent marker, paper and tape
• Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes
• List of emergency contact phone numbers
• List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
• Copy of health insurance, identification cards, ATM & credit cards, passports, etc.
• Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
• Prescription medications
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Extra keys to your house and vehicle
• Trash bags, toilet paper
• Matches
• First aid kit
• Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities.
• Don’t forget to make a Go-bag for your pets.

Pet owners should prepare today and help reduce the amount of stress you and your companion animal will go through when disaster strikes. Human shelters (i.e. those set up by the Red Cross) can not house pets. The following actions will help pet owners deal with disaster:

• Keep ID current. Pets with outdated tags, or no tags cannot be reunited with owners. Personalized tags are available at most pet supply stores.
• Double up on ID: In addition to wearing an ID tag, your pet should be microchipped. This form of ID cannot fall off. You can chip you pet at the Peninsula Human Society and SPCA (650-340-7022), no appointment necessary, for $30.
• Have two current photos of your pet, in case you need to post “lost pet” flyers.
• Familiarize your pet with a carrier or crate, as you may need to use one to transport your pet during an emergency. If you associate the carrier or crate with something positive (i.e. trips to the dog park) your pet will be more comfortable when you need to use it.
• Keep a short list of pet- friendly hotels where you live or where you plan to travel after a disaster. Some chains, including Motel 6 are “pet friendly”
• Have at least the following items stored in a pet “go bag”:
  • Pet carrier/crate
  • One week supply pet food
  • Bowls for food and water
  • Leash
  • Blankets/bedding and towel
  • Litter (for cats)

Keep enough supplies in your home to survive on your own, or shelter in place, for at least three days. If possible, keep these materials in an easily accessible, separate container or special cupboard. One possibility is to store all the emergency supplies in large, black garbage bags in a clean, rain proof garbage can stored outside in a secure location. Check expiration dates of food and update your kits when you change your clock during daylight-savings time. Here is a starter list for your kit. Add to it to meet the special needs of your family.

• One gallon of drinking water per person per day
• Non-perishable, ready-to-eat canned foods and manual can opener
• First aid kit
• Flashlight
• Battery-operated AM/FM radio with extra batteries
• Whistle
• Iodine tablets or one quart of unscented bleach for disinfecting water
• Personal hygiene items: soap, toilet paper, large black garbage bags, feminine hygiene products, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc.
• Child care supplies or other special care items
• Blankets or sleeping bags

Think of what information you will need to carry on after a disaster. Much, but not all, of our important information today is stored in our computers. Copies of this information should be kept in a safe place such as a safe deposit box, at a relative’s house, outside the house with other disaster supplies or in a go-bag. Thumb drives could be very useful to store this information. If you are not computer capable, make due with copy machines. Here is a list of items to get you started:

• Wills, insurance policies (home and autos), mortgage papers, deeds, Passports, driver licences and credit cards (both sides), social security and medicare cards
• Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates
• Bank and Brokerage account numbers and institution names
• Important phone numbers and addresses
• Health policy numbers and immunization records

You will also need information to file claims with FEMA and insurance companies. The sooner you can file, the sooner you will receive funds to begin rebuilding. This advice can save you MAJOR time and money. To help support your claims you should have:

Photos of every room, every closet, cupboard, drawer and cabinet as well as the exterior of the house and autos. These are the “before” photos so you can prove damage.

While you are gathering all of these “official” items, you might also want to store a copy of all of those digital family photos to protect family memories.