As of late September 2026, the gas wrench sits in the earthquake kit in my Riverside garage, and for years my plan was simple: the moment the shaking stopped, go out to the meter and crank it off, whether the quake cracked a wall or just rattled a coffee cup. Plenty of us here in California carry that same plan around. It feels like the one clearly responsible thing you can do.
Riverside’s own Office of Emergency Management doesn’t treat it that way. Its post-earthquake checklist tells residents to listen and smell for natural gas leaks, and to “Turn off utilities only if a further hazard exists.” The same checklist says gas service restoration must be done by a professional to prevent damage or injury. That second line is the part my plan never accounted for.
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What the USGS says
The U.S. Geological Survey, the federal agency that studies earthquakes, puts it in one line: “Gas leaks–shut off main gas valve ONLY if you suspect a leak because of broken pipes or odor.” No smell, no broken pipe, no reason to touch the valve…