Personal Emergency Preparedness (1)

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Before creating a resilient neighborhood, we recommend creating a resilient home, and making sure that you and your household are prepared first. If you do nothing else but follow this checklist, you’ll be in a good place to face emergencies.

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👉 Basic Check-List for Personal Emergency Preparedness

• [ ] Do you have a stay-kit for your home that will keep you safe and nourished for two weeks in case of a disaster?
• [ ] Do you have go bags for your home, car, and workplace?
• [ ] Do you have shoes by your bed?
• [ ] Have you downloaded all the emergency Alerts for your region?
• [ ] Do you have your town’s/city’s emergency numbers saved on your phone?
• [ ] Have you downloaded offline maps of your area and state?
• [ ] Do you have an emergency plan? If you have a family/live with other people, do you have a shared plan?
• [ ] Do you have all your Emergency Contacts designated with all the information you might need to know in an emergency?
• [ ] Do you have backup medications, birth control, menstruation supplies etc for two weeks?
• [ ] Do you know the emergency + fire escape routes from your home/apartment building/unit?
• [ ] Have you taken precautions in your home for earthquakes?
  • [ ] Follow the 7 steps outlined in the Earthquake Country Alliance
  • [ ] Secure cabinet doors and drawers with childproof fasteners
  • [ ] Move bed away from windows or get heavy blinds/curtains
  • [ ] Use museum puddy for items on shelves
  • [ ] Reduce glass and breakable items on open shelves
  • [ ] Anchor furniture (e.g.,bookshelves, hutches, grandfather clocks) to the wall
  • [ ] Secure appliances and office equipment in place with industrial strength hook and loop fasteners
  • [ ] Locate and label shutoffs for gas, electricity, and water before disasters occur
  • [ ] Teach all home occupants, including children who are old enough to handle the responsibility, when and how to shut off the important utilities
  • [ ] Secure water heaters to the wall to safeguard against ruptured gas line or loose electrical wires
• [ ] Have you fortified your home?
  • [ ] Home Fires. Make sure burglar bars and locks on outside window entries are easy to open from the inside.
  • [ ] Landslides and Mudslides. Install flexible pipefittings to avoid gas or water leaks. Flexible fittings are more resistant to breakage.
  • [ ] Wildfires. If you’re in a wildfire prone zone:
    • [ ] Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris, and pine needles that could catch ember
    • [ ] Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration
    • [ ] Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8 inch metal mesh screening
    • [ ] Reapir or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows
    • [ ] Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh
    • [ ] Move anything that can burn away from wall exteriors
    • [ ] Remove anything stored under porches or decks
    • [ ] Avoid using wooden shakes and shingles for roofing
    • [ ] Clear all flammable vegetation at least 30 feet from the home
    • [ ] Remove vines from the walls of the home.
    • [ ] Place propane tanks at least 30 feet from the home or other structures.
    • [ ] Stack firewood at least 30 feet away and uphill from the home.
  • [ ] Have you looked through Firewise resources?
• [ ] Have you braced and bolted your home?
  • [ ] The California Earthquake Authority opens grants every year in October and will pay you up to $13,000 to retrofit your home
• [ ] If you own land, have you taken precautions with fire hazards?
• [ ] Do you have earthquake, fire, hurricane, etc insurance?
• [ ] Do you know that going electric in the home is better for emergencies and the environment?