EARTHQUAKE: Are South Orange County Homeowners Ready ?
After the tragecy in Haiti, the reality of an EARTHQUAKE is on most CALIFORNIA residents' mind.
ARE YOU PREPARED should the BIG ONE hit us ?
Please take a moment and read some helpful hints in preparing your home should devastation hit CALIFORNIA !
- Retrofit your home: Bolt the frame to the foundation, and re-enforce joints and other parts of the structure to make more quake resistant.
- Secure: Tie water heater, heavy furniture, bookcases filing cabinets to the walls so that they don’t topple over and injure you.
- Inventory: List your possessions. Keep it in a safe location outside of the home or e-mail it to yourself so that it can be downloaded from any computer.
- Insure: Update earthquake and homeowner policies. Understand your coverage and make sure that the policy limits closely reflect the cost of your home’s reconstruction.
- Shut offs: Make sure everyone in the home knows location of the main gas, electric and water shut-off valves or switches — and how to shut them off.
- Contacts: Have an out-of-state contact for all family members to check in with should you be separated during an earthquake. Designate a family meeting place.
- Supplies: Keep emergency gear and necessities on hand, including flashlight, battery-operated radio, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, extra supplies of food and water, medication and blankets.
- Pets: Don’t forget them — and include supplies for them, including food and water.
- React #1: If you are indoors when an earthquake hits, don’t run out of the building. Do the “Drop, Cover and Hold,” — drop to your knees, get under a table or desk and hold on until the shaking stops. Remember more people are hurt from flying debris than from building collapses.
- React #2: If your home is damaged, contact your insurance company or agent immediately. Make only emergency repairs and save the receipts, until a claims adjuster has reviewed the damage.
Your thoughts and feedback on this topic are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to post your comments.
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