ICC Earthquake Preparedness Kit
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This Page Intentionally Blank Henry L. Green Rick Weiland President Chief Operating Officer April, 2006. This year we recognize the 100th anniversary of the earthquake and fire that devastated the San Fran- cisco area early in the morning of April 18, 1906. Even in 1906, with widespread knowledge of the seismic history of the area, it was highly predictable that such an event could and would occur. In the bustle of development, how- ever, limited attention had been given to natural hazard mitigation and fire prevention and suppression. The com- munity was caught unprepared both in terms of pre-disaster mitigation and post-disaster response capability. Top- pled and surviving structures alike succumbed to the widespread fires that followed the quake. In the end, of the area’s population of 400,000, three-quarters were left homeless; the number of deaths is estimated at 3,000 and property damage at $400 million. Conservatively the earthquake and fire damage together cost the equivalent of about $9 billion. In terms of seismic strength, the event was 40 times more powerful than the Loma Prieta event of 1989. Though this document is not designed to review or commemorate that event, the anniversary is instructive, along with last year’s hurricane events, in demonstrating our susceptibility to natural disasters and our need to better pre- pare for them. The best mitigation measures begin, of course, far in advance, and take the form of applying and enforcing well-considered zoning, building and fire codes that protect lives and property from foreseeable natural hazards. In addition to these measures, effective post-disaster planning requires regular review and testing of our readiness to weather a disaster through community-wide as well as personal disaster response preparation. The following information is a compilation of materials available from FEMA, the American Red Cross, the Insti- tute for Building and Home Safety, California State and local agencies and other organizations. We hope that these are helpful resources for your constituents to prepare in advance to protect themselves from the potential ef- fects of an earthquake and the immediate aftermath. The International Code Council develops the International Codes, a comprehensive and coordinated family of building safety codes that are regularly updated to reflect the latest advances in building safety, research and technology. Codes developed by the ICC are used by 97% of American cities, counties and states that enforce build- ing codes. To facilitate the most effective application of the codes, the ICC provides training and certification for public and private sector building industry profession- als and provides evaluation services to certify that building materials comply with building safety and fire prevention requirements. If you have any questions about the Earthquake Preparedness or the ICC in general, please contact our Congressional Relations staff listed at www.iccsafe.org/congress. This Page Intentionally Blank ICC Earthquake Preparedness Kit Pg. 1 Red Cross/FEMA: Are You Ready for an Earthquake? http://www.redcross.org/static/file_cont164_lang0_71.pdf Pg. 3 FEMA: What to do During an Earthquake http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_during.shtm Pg. 4 FEMA: What to do After an Earthquake http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_after.shtm Pg. 5 San Francisco Chronicle: Earthquake Drills Do’s and Don’ts http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/earthquakes/archive/quakedrill.dtl Pg. 7 CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: Emergency Supplies Checklist http://www.oes.ca.gov/CEPM2003.nsf/htmlmedia/checklist.pdf/$file/checklist.pdf Pg. 9 Los Angeles Fire Department: Safe Drinking Water (pages 10-11 of the LAFD’s Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness Handbook) http://www.lafd.org/ostrich.pdf Pg. 11 Los Angeles Fire Department: Portable/Auto Survival Kit (page 14 of the LAFD’s Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness Handbook) http://www.lafd.org/ostrich.pdf Pg. 13 CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: Tips for the Physically Challenged http://www.oes.ca.gov/CEPM2003.nsf/htmlmedia/physically.pdf/$file/physically.pdf Pg. 14 CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: Tips for Preparing Children http://www.oes.ca.gov/CEPM2003.nsf/htmlmedia/children.pdf/$file/children.pdf Pg. 15 CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: Tips for the Elderly http://www.oes.ca.gov/CEPM2003.nsf/htmlmedia/elderly.pdf/$file/elderly.pdf Pg. 16 CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: Tips for Pet Owners http://www.oes.ca.gov/CEPM2003.nsf/htmlmedia/pet_owners.pdf/$file/pet_owners.pdf Pg. 17 Institute for Business & Home Safety: Nonstructural Retrofits for the Home (Complete 48 page document “A Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Retrofit” accessible via link.) http://www.ibhs.org/publications/downloads/20050927_100235_26153.pdf Pg. 29 Institute for Business & Home Safety: Structural Retrofits for the Home (Complete 48 page document “A Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Retrofit” accessible via link.) http://www.ibhs.org/publications/downloads/20050927_100235_26153.pdf Assembled and distributed by the International Code Council - April 2006 www.iccsafe.org/congress Background photograph of 1906 earthquake damage courtesy of EERC www.eerc.berkeley.edu ICC Earthquake Preparedness Kit Pg. 44 Institute for Business & Home Safety: Home Improvement Project List Entire 48 pg document “A Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Retrofit” available via: http://www.ibhs.org/publications/downloads/20050927_100235_26153.pdf Pg. 45 CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: The ABC’s of Post Earthquake Evacuation http://www.oes.ca.gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/0/b32e05499f2a6da488256c2c007555 98/$FILE/EVACfor%20web.pdf Pg. 47 Los Angeles Fire Department: Emergency Lighting (page 15 of the LAFD’s Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness Handbook) http://www.lafd.org/ostrich.pdf Pg. 48 Los Angeles Fire Department: How to Shut-off Utilities (page 18 of the LAFD’s Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness Handbook) http://www.lafd.org/ostrich.pdf Pg. 51 Los Angeles Fire Department: Emergency Contact Cards (page 27 of the LAFD’s Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness Handbook) http://www.lafd.org/ostrich.pdf Pg. 53 Congressional Hazards Caucus Fact Sheet: Earthquakes http://www.hazardscaucus.org/earthquake_factsheet0905.pdf Assembled and distributed by the International Code Council - April 2006 www.iccsafe.org/congress Background photograph of 1906 earthquake damage courtesy of EERC www.eerc.berkeley.edu Earthquake Are You Ready for an Earthquake? Here’s what you can do to prepare for such an emergency Prepare a Home Earthquake Plan Prepare a Disaster Supplies Kit ✔ If you are outdoors, find a clear ✔ Choose a safe place in every for home and car, including— spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground. room—under a sturdy table or ✔ First aid kit and essential desk or against an inside wall medications. ✔ If you are in a car, slow down and where nothing can fall on you. drive to a clear place (as described ✔ Canned food and can opener. ✔ above). Stay in the car until the Practice DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ✔ ON at least twice a year. Drop under At least three gallons of water shaking stops. a sturdy desk or table, hold on, per person. and protect your eyes by pressing ✔ Protective clothing, rainwear, Identify what to do after the your face against your arm. If there’s and bedding or sleeping bags. shaking stops no table or desk nearby, sit on the ✔ Battery-powered radio, flashlight, ✔ floor against an interior wall away Check yourself for injuries. Protect and extra batteries. from windows, bookcases, or tall yourself from further danger by furniture that could fall on you. ✔ Special items for infant, elderly, putting on long pants, a long- Teach children to DROP, COVER, or disabled family members. sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and work gloves. AND HOLD ON! ✔ Written instructions for how ✔ ✔ Choose an out-of-town family to turn off gas, electricity, and Check others for injuries. Give contact. water if authorities advise you first aid for serious injuries. to do so. (Remember, you’ll need ✔ ✔ Consult a professional to find out Look for and extinguish small fires. a professional to turn natural additional ways you can protect Eliminate fire hazards. Turn off gas service back on.) your home, such as bolting the the gas if you smell gas or think house to its foundation and other ✔ Keeping essentials, such as a it’s leaking. (Remember, only a structural mitigation techniques. flashlight and sturdy shoes, professional should turn it back on.) by your bedside. ✔ ✔ Take a first aid class from your Listen to the radio for instructions. local Red Cross chapter. Keep ✔ Expect aftershocks. Each time your training current. Know what to do when the you feel one, DROP, COVER, AND ✔ Get training in how to use a shaking begins HOLD ON! fire extinguisher from your local ✔ DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! ✔ Inspect your home for damage. fire department. Move only a few steps to a nearby Get everyone out if your home ✔ Inform babysitters and caregivers safe place. Stay indoors until the is unsafe. shaking stops and you’re sure of your plan. ✔ Use the telephone only to report it’s safe to exit. Stay away from life-threatening emergencies. windows. In a high-rise building, Eliminate hazards, by— expect the fire alarms and sprin- ✔ Bolting bookcases, china klers to go off during a quake. Your local contact is: cabinets, and other tall ✔ If you are in bed, hold on and furniture to wall studs. stay there, protecting your head ✔ Installing strong latches on with a pillow. cupboards. ✔ Strapping the water heater to wall studs. ARC 4455 April 2006Rev. Aug. 1998 Reprinted in ICC Earthquake Preparedness Kit Page 1 Are You Ready for an Earthquake? Earthquakes can happen in most states . anytime . without warning. Reducing hazards and knowing what to do can make a big difference in how an earthquake affects your household.