East Bay earthquake will happen

The horrific events in Japan recently should serve as a reminder to us that the Tri-Valley and East Bay Area will also suffer a disastrous earthquake. Are you ready?
I have used the Sendai earthquake and Tsunami as a reminder to prepare:

1. Refresh the contents of my "earthquake box"
I have a large container outside of my house with enough food and water for at least a week. Pretend that you will be camping far away, what would you bring? Earthquake box Food, daily medicines and first aid, radio and flashlight, batteries or solar power, tent and blankets, firewood and matches, tools, and most importantly lots of water. I write the date on all food with a maker pen and keep refreshing it about one time per year. Canned food, granola bars and dry pasta last a long time. Rice is ok to eat raw if you let it sit in water for about 1 hour. 5 gallon food buckets are free or cheap and have strong lids. food storage

 2. Review with my family what each of us should do if we are not together when it hits. Assume that phones will not work and roads may be blocked for a while. Our general rule is that if you are someplace safe then stay there. I have told my parents and my brother that I will check on them as soon as possible but that they should stay at their homes. I bought some walkie-talkies that have a range of many miles. Remember that all electronics should be solar powered or use common replaceable batteries. Your plug in chargers probably will not have power.

 3. Walk through the house to find and fix common hazards. It's easy to bolt bookcases to the wall but many videos of the Japan quake show falling bookcases. Pay particular attention to what's above beds. Bowling trophies are great but even a small quake will send them flying. Get a wrench ready to turn off the gas if a large quake hits. A plumber can install an inexpensive automatic shut-off valve for extra safety. gas valve

 4. Think about how we would do if there were no power or water for 2 weeks. Buy at least 4 five gallon bottles of water. You can also use bleach to disinfect water (use 8 drops per gallon). If there is a problem with the public water system it's good to use the water in your water heater. I have a valve set up so I can separate and protect that water. I have a small camping stove and fuel in the box. It's also a good idea to keep an extra bottle of propane for your barbecue. Flashlights and batteries will be essential. The new LED flashlights are more reliable and last a lot longer on a set of batteries. I also have a solar powered/crank powered radio.

 5. Learn more about the current science regarding earthquakes, earthquake prediction, and earthquake engineering. The April 2011 issue of Scientific American has an interesting article about earthquake warning systems (also available here online). The online edition has a very interesting collection of information about the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami. The Nova show on PBS did a very interesting episode about the events in Japan.

 6. Reconsider the cost/benefits of earthquake insurance The best place to learn more is the California Earthquake Authority web page.

 7. Installed an earthquake alarm . I'm not entirely convinced this will work, but it's only $25 so it's worth a try. earthquake alarm The idea is that the P waves arrive a few seconds before the more energetic and destructive S wave. The alarm might give us a chance to take cover before the big shakes hit. Someday we might have a statewide integrated alarm system similar to Japan's if funding can be found.

 As a Realtor in the East Bay I know that homes here are always at risk from earthquakes. My Clients and I choose to live in the East Bay because of the great quality of life. Simple preparation for "the big one" will make a big differance for our families' safety and comfort when it hit. 

Eric Haggin , Realtor
 925 388-6462
 Eric@EastBayPlus.com