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Check yourself for injuries.
Often people tend to others without checking their own injuries. You will be
better able to care for others if you are not injured or if you have
received first aid for your injuries.
Protect yourself from further
danger by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and
work gloves. This will protect your from further injury by broken
objects.
After you have taken care of
yourself, help injured or trapped persons. If you have it in your area,
call 9-1-1, then give first aid when appropriate. Don't try to move
seriously injured people unless they are in immediate danger of further
injury.
Look for and extinguish small
fires. Eliminate fire hazards. Putting out small fires quickly, using
available resources, will prevent them from spreading. Fire is the most
common hazard following earthquakes. Fires followed the San Francisco
earthquake of 1906 for three days, creating more damage than the earthquake.
Leave the gas on at the main
valve, unless you smell gas or think it's leaking. It may be weeks or
months before professionals can turn gas back on using the correct
procedures. Explosions have caused injury and death when homeowners have
improperly turned their gas back on by themselves.
Clean up spilled medicines,
bleaches, gasoline, or other flammable liquids immediately and carefully.
Avoid the hazard of a chemical emergency.
Open closet and cabinet doors
cautiously. Contents may have shifted during the shaking of an
earthquake and could fall, creating further damage or injury.
Inspect your home for damage.
Get everyone out if your home is unsafe. Aftershocks following
earthquakes can cause further damage to unstable buildings. If your home has
experienced damage, get out before aftershocks happen.
Help neighbors who may
require special assistance. Elderly people and people with disabilities
may require additional assistance. People who care for them or who have
large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations.
Listen to a portable,
battery-operated radio (or television) for updated emergency information and
instructions. If the electricity is out, this may be your main source of
information. Local radio and local officials provide the most appropriate
advice for your particular situation.
Expect aftershocks. Each
time you feel one, drop, cover, and hold on! Aftershocks frequently occur
minutes, days, weeks, and even months following an earthquake.
Watch out for fallen power
lines or broken gas lines, and stay out of damaged areas. Hazards caused
by earthquakes are often difficult to see, and you could be easily injured.
Stay out of damaged
buildings. If you are away from home, return only when authorities say
it is safe. Damaged buildings may be destroyed by aftershocks following the
main quake.
Use battery-powered lanterns
or flashlights to inspect your home. Kerosene lanterns, torches,
candles, and matches may tip over or ignite flammables inside.
Inspect the entire length of
chimneys carefully for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to fire or
injury from falling debris during an aftershock. Cracks in chimneys can be
the cause of a fire years later.
Take pictures of the damage,
both to the house and its contents, for insurance claims.
Avoid smoking inside
buildings. Smoking in confined areas can cause fires.
When entering buildings, use
extreme caution. Building damage may have occurred where you least
expect it. Carefully watch every step you take.
Examine walls, floor, doors,
staircases, and windows to make sure that the building is not in danger of
collapsing.
Check for gas leaks. If
you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly
leave the building. Turn off the gas, using the outside main valve if you
can, and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the
gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
Look for electrical system
damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell
burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit
breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit
breaker, call an electrician first for advice.
Check for sewage and water
line damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the
toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water
company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water from
undamaged water heaters or by melting ice cubes.
Watch for loose plaster,
drywall, and ceilings that could fall.
Use the telephone only to
report life-threatening emergencies. Telephone lines are frequently
overwhelmed in disaster situations. They need to be clear for emergency
calls to get through.
Watch animals
closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard.
The behavior of pets may change dramatically after an earthquake. Normally
quiet and friendly cats and dogs may become aggressive or defensive.
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