Earthquake Preparedness: Before, During & After

The Unique Problem With Earthquakes

Most disasters give you some warning. Hurricanes have forecast tracks. Wildfires have evacuation orders. Floods have watches and warnings. Earthquakes give you nothing.

The shaking starts and you have seconds — not minutes — to protect yourself. That single fact shapes everything about earthquake preparedness. The actions you take before an earthquake are what protect you when one hits, because there is no time to think during one.

Beyond the immediate shaking, earthquakes carry a chain of secondary hazards that can be more destructive than the initial event: structural collapse, ruptured gas lines and the fires they cause, broken water mains, road and bridge damage that isolates neighborhoods, and aftershocks that destabilize already-damaged buildings. A complete earthquake preparedness plan accounts for all of it.

Debunking Two Dangerous Myths

The Doorway Myth

Generations of Americans were taught to stand in a doorway during an earthquake. This advice came from observations of older adobe structures where the door frame was sometimes the last thing standing after a collapse. It does not apply to any modern construction.

In wood-frame homes, steel buildings, or reinforced concrete structures, a doorway provides no meaningful structural advantage. You are also exposed to a swinging door and the foot traffic of anyone else trying to use the same escape path. Forget the doorway entirely.

The Triangle of Life

This theory — still circulating online — instructs you to crouch beside large furniture rather than under it, on the theory that falling debris will create a survival void. Every credentialed earthquake safety organization rejects it: FEMA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the American Red Cross, and the International Association of Emergency Managers.

The reason is simple. In real earthquake data, the people who survive with the fewest injuries are those who used DROP-COVER-HOLD ON. The “triangle” assumes a pancake-style structural collapse that is uncommon in modern construction and provides no benefit in the far more common scenario of falling objects, broken glass, and toppled furniture.

DROP-COVER-HOLD ON: How to Do It Correctly

DROP-COVER-HOLD ON is the consensus-backed technique from FEMA, USGS, and the ShakeOut earthquake drill program. Here is exactly how to execute it.

DROP — Get down on your hands and knees before the shaking knocks you down. This position protects your vital organs, keeps you mobile, and gives you a stable base to hold your cover.

COVER — Get under a sturdy desk or table if one is within a step or two. If no table is nearby, move to an interior wall away from windows and cover your head and neck with your arms. Stay away from exterior walls, windows, and tall furniture like bookshelves.

HOLD ON — If you are under a table, hold onto it with one hand and be prepared to move with it if it shifts. Keep protecting your head and neck with your other arm. Do not get up until the shaking has completely stopped.

After shaking stops — Do not rush outside immediately. Broken glass, falling debris, and structural aftereffects are hazards in the first moments after a quake. Take a breath, assess your immediate surroundings, then move deliberately.

What to Do in Different Locations

If you are indoors: Stay inside. Moving to an exit during shaking is when most injuries happen. DROP-COVER-HOLD ON where you are.

If you are outside: Move away from buildings, streetlights, and overhead utility lines. Drop to the ground and wait. The greatest danger outside is falling facade pieces, broken power lines, and collapsing overpasses.

If you are in a car: Pull over away from buildings, trees, and overpasses. Stop the car and stay inside with your seatbelt on. After shaking stops, proceed cautiously — roads and bridges may be damaged. Avoid overpasses.

If you are near a building: Move away from the exterior wall. Glass and architectural cladding fall outward. Do not stand in the “safe zone” right next to the wall — debris travels.

Before an Earthquake: Securing Your Home

The work you do before an earthquake determines how much of it is left standing — and how many secondary hazards you face afterward.

Secure Furniture and Heavy Objects

Most earthquake injuries inside homes come from falling furniture and objects, not structural collapse. Priority items to secure:

Bookshelves and tall furniture: Anchor to wall studs with L-brackets or furniture straps. This is especially critical in bedrooms where you may be asleep when shaking starts.
Water heaters: Strap the tank to wall studs with approved seismic straps. An unrestrained water heater becomes a projectile and can rupture gas lines when it tips.
Refrigerators and large appliances: Use appliance latches and non-skid pads.
Overhead cabinet latches: Install positive-latch cabinet hardware to keep dishes and heavy items contained.
Picture frames and mirrors: Use earthquake putty or museum wax under decorative items, especially above beds and seating areas.

Automatic Gas Shut-Off Valves

A seismic automatic gas shut-off valve installs on your gas meter and triggers when shaking exceeds a threshold. When a ruptured line meets an ignition source — pilot lights, sparks from broken electrical lines — the result is a post-earthquake fire. These valves are inexpensive relative to the risk and are required by code in some earthquake-prone jurisdictions. Check with your gas utility about installation.

Structural Assessment

If your home was built before 1980, especially a wood-frame house with a cripple-wall foundation (a short stud wall between the foundation and first floor), consider a seismic structural evaluation. Cripple-wall retrofits are among the most cost-effective structural improvements available in earthquake zones. Contact a licensed structural engineer or check your state’s retrofit program — California, Oregon, and Washington all have subsidized programs.

Building an Earthquake-Specific Kit

A standard 72-hour emergency kit covers the basics, but earthquake scenarios add specific hazards that require dedicated gear.

Earthquake-specific additions:

Leather work gloves — Rubble clearing and debris removal will shred your hands without them. Keep a pair near your kit.
Sturdy closed-toe shoes — Stage them directly under your bed or next to your nightstand. Broken glass is everywhere after an earthquake. Walking barefoot to find your shoes is how people get badly cut.
Rescue whistle — If you are trapped, a whistle conserves energy and carries farther than a voice. Three blasts is the universal distress signal.
Pry bar or crowbar — A 24-inch wrecking bar can open a jammed door, move debris off a trapped person, or break through a compromised wall section.
Fire extinguisher — Gas leak fires start fast. An ABC extinguisher staged in the kitchen and garage can suppress a small fire before it becomes structural.

Combine these with your standard supplies: one gallon of water per person per day for a minimum of three days (water mains may be out for days or weeks after a major event), food, medications, flashlights and batteries, a first aid kit, and copies of important documents.

After the Shaking Stops

Checking for Gas Leaks

A ruptured gas line is one of the most dangerous post-earthquake hazards. The odorant added to natural gas has a distinctive rotten-egg or sulfur smell, but not everyone detects it equally. Use two methods:

Smell test — Walk through your home with the windows open. Any rotten-egg odor is a gas smell until proven otherwise.
Bubble test — Inspect standing water near gas appliances or where gas lines enter the structure. Active gas escaping underground will cause bubbling in puddles or saturated soil.

If you suspect a leak: do not turn any switches on or off, do not use a lighter or match, do not use your phone inside the building. Leave immediately, leave the door open to allow gas to dissipate, go to the street, and call your gas utility’s emergency line and 911 from outside.

Do not re-enter until the utility has cleared the line.

Structural Inspection Before Re-Entering

If you evacuated your building, do not re-enter until you have done a walk-around assessment. Look for:

Cracks in the foundation or exterior walls that run diagonally (a sign of structural racking)
Chimneys that have separated, cracked, or partially collapsed
Visible lean or racking in the frame
Broken windows or missing sections of exterior wall

If you see any of these, do not re-enter. Wait for a professional inspection or a tagged clearance from a building inspector. Many jurisdictions deploy rapid assessment teams after major earthquakes who tag buildings green (inspected, safe to enter), yellow (restricted use), or red (unsafe, do not enter).

Aftershock Preparation

Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that follow the main event, sometimes for days or weeks. Some aftershocks are large enough to collapse already-damaged structures. The same DROP-COVER-HOLD ON technique applies.

After a significant earthquake:

Keep shoes accessible and wear them inside
Avoid rooms with visible structural damage until inspected
Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio tuned to local emergency broadcasts for official guidance
Expect utilities to be out — water, power, and gas restoration timelines after a major event are measured in days, not hours

Earthquake Insurance

Standard homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Earthquake coverage requires a separate endorsement or a standalone policy.

The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) offers policies in California. In other states, private insurers offer earthquake coverage with varying deductibles — typically 10 to 25 percent of the dwelling coverage limit, not a flat dollar amount. A $400,000 home with a 15 percent deductible means you absorb the first $60,000 of structural damage before insurance pays.

If you live in a designated seismic hazard zone, get a quote. The premiums are often lower than people expect relative to the potential loss.

Earthquake Preparedness Checklist

For a broader foundation, see the complete emergency preparedness checklist or get your 72-hour emergency kit in place before the next event. The natural disaster preparedness hub covers hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the correct thing to do during an earthquake?

Drop to your hands and knees immediately, take cover under a sturdy desk or table (or against an interior wall if no table is nearby), and hold on until shaking stops. Protect your head and neck with your arms. Do not run outside — most earthquake injuries happen when people try to move during shaking.

Is the doorway actually safe during an earthquake?

No. The doorway myth comes from old adobe construction where door frames were sometimes the last thing standing. In modern wood-frame and steel buildings, a doorway offers no more protection than any other part of the structure. You are safer under a sturdy table away from windows and falling objects.

What is the triangle of life technique?

The triangle of life theory claims you should crouch beside large furniture rather than under it so debris falls around you forming a void. Every major emergency management agency — FEMA, USGS, the Red Cross — rejects this technique. DROP-COVER-HOLD ON has a far better injury-prevention record in real earthquake data.

What should be in an earthquake emergency kit?

An earthquake kit adds items specific to structural collapse and debris: leather work gloves for clearing rubble, sturdy closed-toe shoes staged near your bed, a pry bar or crowbar, a rescue whistle, and a fire extinguisher. Combine these with standard 72-hour kit supplies: water (one gallon per person per day), food, medications, flashlights, and a first aid kit.

How do you check for a gas leak after an earthquake?

First, use your nose — the odorant added to natural gas smells like rotten eggs or sulfur. Second, look for bubbles in standing water near a gas line. If you suspect a leak, don't use any switches, flames, or phones inside the building. Leave immediately, leave the door open, and call your gas utility from outside.