Earthquakes are a fact of life in the Bay Area. Small temblors jostle us awake at night and rattle buildings in the middle of the day. While most seismic events don’t cause significant damage, it’s only a matter of time until the “Big One” happens. And when it does, it’ll be important for all of us to be prepared.
You’ve likely heard of “go bags” and practiced crouching under tables at school if you grew up in California. But when a quake is not fresh on the mind, it can feel overwhelming and deceptively low-priority to figure out how to prepare for the worst.
Luckily, there are several simple steps you can take and resources you can take advantage of locally to be safer and more resilient on that inevitable day.
How to stay safe during an earthquake
If an earthquake strikes, experts say to drop to your hands and knees, and either crawl under a cover like a table or against a wall away from windows. Grab hold of something sturdy and stay crouched down, covering your head with your arms in case anything falls on you. The U.S. government’s Ready website has more detailed instructions, including for people using canes, walkers, or wheelchairs…