Living on SHAKY GROUND

How to survive earthquake and tsunamis in northern California

You Can Prepare for the Next Quake or Tsunami

SOME PEOPLE THINK it is not worth preparing for an earthquake or a tsunami because whether you survive or not is up to chance. NOT SO! Most Northern California buildings will survive even a large earthquake, and so will you, especially if you follow the simple guidelines in this handbook and start preparing today. If you know how to recognize the warning signs of a tsunami and understand what to do, you will survive that too—but you need to know what to do ahead of time!

This handbook will help you prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis in Northern California. It explains how you can prepare for, survive, and recover from them. It also describes what you can do today to save lives, reduce injuries, and minimize damage.

Government agencies and other emergency organizations cannot protect you from the next earthquake or tsunami. Even under the best of circumstances, medical aid or fire and law enforcement officials may not be able to reach you for many hours, or even days. It is our responsibility as individuals, neighborhoods and communities to reduce risks, to prepare for the critical period immediately after the earthquake, and to make sure that planning for earthquakes and tsunamis has the high priority it deserves. By becoming informed, we can take actions to protect ourselves, reduce losses, and recover quickly.