Responding promptly to hazards can prevent further damage and injuries. This may entail extinguishing small fires or reporting larger blazes; shutting off the water supply when broken pipes are leaking; shutting off the electricity when damaged wiring threatens to spark fires; shutting off the natural gas when you suspect that gas is leaking; or evacuating your home when any of these hazards or others, such as structural damage, make continued occupancy potentially unsafe.
If it is necessary to leave your home, you may, in the days and weeks following the quake, need to seek emergency assistance from the American Red Cross. In the event of a presidential disaster declaration, assistance for housing and other needs may also become available from FEMA.
Regardless of the severity of this earthquake, learn from the experience. If there are things that you could have done better in preparing for this quake, do them better now in preparation for the next earthquake. If your home must be repaired or rebuilt, for example, use this opportunity to correct any structural weaknesses and ensure compliance with seismic building standards. If unsecured belongings were damaged, improve how you secure your home’s contents. If your emergency supply kit proved inadequate, use what you learned to make a kit that will better meet your needs.
For guidance on what to do once the shaking stops:
- Earthquake Safety Checklist (FEMA 526)
Specific tips on what to do in the immediate aftermath of earthquakes - Recover & Rebuild
Information about recovering from earthquakes and other disasters
This article is adapted from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's earthquake resources page. For more information, visit http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/index.shtm or http://www.ready.gov to learn more about the FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness program.