Contact:
Kia Xiong
Public Information Officer
OFC: (408) 808-7838
MBL: (669) 235-2222
Earthquake Readiness Day
Prepare now by joining us in the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill on October 21, 2021 at 10:21 a.m.
Santa Clara County, CA –Santa Clara County is home to over 1.9 million people and almost everyone lives within a 10-mile radius of a major fault line. The San Andreas Fault runs along the Sonoma Coast through the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Hayward Fault along the hills on the east side of the San Francisco Bay, and the Calaveras Fault runs from the eastern region of our county down through the southern end.
Earthquakes can happen at any time and without warning. We encourage you to take steps now to protect yourself and your family before, during, and after earthquakes. Start with signing up to participate in the Great ShakeOut happening on October 21, at 10:21 a.m., by visiting https://bit.ly/2021GreatShakeOut. You can help strengthen our community resiliency by participating in the ShakeOut and implementing earthquake preparedness measures that will help you to recover more quickly when the next big earthquake happens.
We can prepare now by making sure that our homes are earthquake ready. No-cost actions we can take include moving heavy objects from top shelves down to the lower shelves or floor and not hanging heavy objects over our beds and sofas. Low-cost actions include securing our cabinets and drawers, add safety latches to keep cups and dishes from falling out, and securely fastening large appliances and furniture to wall studs or bolting them down.
Steps we can take to be earthquake ready:
- Securing our space by identifying hazards and securing moveable items such as furniture and other heavy objects to avoid injuries and damage.
- Planning to be safe by creating a disaster plan and deciding how you will communicate in an emergency. Where will you meet your family? How will you get to work? Do you know how to perform CPR or to use a fire extinguisher?
- Organizing disaster supplies by packing our Go Bags, an emergency supply kit for when we are required to evacuate immediately.
- Minimizing financial hardship by organizing important documents, strengthening our property, and considering insurance.
- Practicing Drop, Cover, and Hold On so that we know what to do when an earthquake strikes.
- Improving safety after earthquakes by evacuating, helping the injured if possible, and being ready for aftershocks.
- Reconnecting and restoring by checking in with family, friends, and neighbors, repairing damage, and rebuilding your community.
For more information on earthquake preparedness, visit www.PrepareSCC.org/Earthquake.
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