A magnitude 2.8 earthquake shook Hawthorne Wednesday night at 10:33 PM.

Epicenter:   11 miles below Hawthorne.  The earthquake was felt as far as Beverly Hills, El Segundo & Redondo Beach.

Are you ready for a disaster? earthquake?, flood?, fire?, tsunami?, tornado?, hurricane? or typhoon?

Start your kit today.  Give a gift to your family, friends and/coworkers today.

TV'S, COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

Televisions, stereos, computers, microwaves and other electronics are heavy and costly to replace. They can be secured with flexible nylon straps and buckles for easy removal and relocation.

The ground swells & rolls of an earthquake can cause anything resting on a shelf or counter top to fall – TVs, stereos, computers, microwaves, lamps, etc. An easy way to protect against these types of losses is to use Velcro™ or other similar products.

Source: SPAN Disaster Services, Inc.

• Choose a Velcro™-type product that has adhesive on the back.
• Cut the Velcro™ into large squares. You will need four squares to secure most items, one for each leg or corner of the item.
• Press the two sides of the Velcro™ together.
• Remove the paper from the backs of the Velcro™ to expose the adhesive.
• With the Velcro™ still pressed together, stick it on the legs or corners of the item, and then place the item on the shelf or counter top where you want it located.

Source: Governor's Office of Emergency Services

ALTERNATE SOLUTION

Recommendation

Securing Computer - Grip Fasteners

Source: Noson, Perbix, SSD

Install one of the following:

• Bungee cord
• Strap/lock fasteners
• Leash locks
• Earthquake pads

Leash locks

Source: Noson, Perbix, SSD

Note

• Use leash locks for equipment that may be moved (for example, telephones, keyboards, laptops.)
• Fasten near the top and near the bottom if equipment is more than two times as tall as it is wide.

Supplies Required

• Bungee cord
• Eye-bolts—3/16" diameter
• Versa Grip fasteners
• Lease locks
• Rubber doorknob bumpers
• Threaded or glued mounting

Bungee Cord

Source: Noson, Perbix, SSD

Source: SPAN Disaster Services, Inc.; School Facilities Manual Nonstructural Protection Guide

SECURE YOUR WATER HEATER

Water Heater

Unsecured water heaters often fall over, rupturing rigid water and gas connections. If your water heater does not have two straps that wrap completely around it and are screwed into the studs or masonry of the wall, then it is not properly braced.  Bracing kits are available that make this process simple. Also, have a plumber install flexible (corrugated) copper water connectors, if not already done.

Protected source of water – or a puddle

Fresh water after a disaster may be as close as your water heater – provided, of course, that it remains standing upright. A typical water heater holds 30 to 50 gallons of water.

However, this supply of water is extremely vulnerable to the ground undulation (swells and rolls) and ground acceleration of earthquakes, causing them to tip over.

You can protect this valuable resource by securing your water heater to the wall studs.

Changes to strapping recommendations

Your tank may be strapped, but incorrectly, as old methods are no longer recommended. Experts have modified the recommended procedure for strapping water heaters because many tanks broke through their strapping in both the 1989 Loma Prieta (San Francisco) and the 1994 Northridge (Los Angeles) earthquakes. Experts recommend these two important changes:

Do NOT use plumber's tape. Use heavy gauge steele strapping instead.

Secure both the top and the bottom, rather than just the top or just the middle, of the hot water tank.

1. Use heavy-gauge metal strapping rather than plumber's tape. Many water heaters in both the 1989 and the 1994 earthquakes broke through the plumber's tape that was intended to keep them secure. The thin metal in plumber's tape has been found to be too brittle to be effective.

Commercially available kits come complete with the strapping, lag screws, washers, spacers, and tension bolts. These kits can be purchased at many local hardware stores, and are recommended.

Securing your hot water tank

Make sure the strap wraps around the water heater 1 1/2 times! Water heaters are an excellent supply of emergency water. Water can be accessed from the drain spout - this is made easier by connecting a garden hose to the drain spout. Open a faucet somewhere in the house to allow the water to drain easier. Make sure the electricity or natural gas is shut off before opening the drain.

Secure your water heater.

• There should be very little space between the water heater and the wall. If there is more than 1 or 2 inches, attach a wooden block to the wall studs with long lag screws. The purpose is to prevent the heater from tipping backwards.
• Wrap the heavy-gauge metal strapping 1½ times around the tank. Start by placing the strapping at the back of the tank. Bring it to the front and then take it back to the wall.
• Secure this strapping to the wall studs or the wood block using several 1/4" x 3" or longer lag screws with oversized washers. If you are securing it directly into concrete, use 1/4" expansion bolts in place of the screws.
• Replace all copper and metal piping with flexible natural gas and water line connectors.

Another Solution for Water Heaters

The Problem

If water heaters are not properly braced, they can topple over during an earthquake causing:

An unbraced water heater in the home can fall during an earthquake and result in a fire, destroying the home.

Broken gas lines and gas leaks

• Fires causing major damage to homes
• Broken water lines and flooding

How to Identify

Is the water heater free-standing?

• Are there straps or other types of restraints securing the water heater?
• Are there straps or restraints bolted to the studs?
• If the water heater is secured, was it completed properly using updated recommendations?
• Are there flexible pipes for water and gas connected to the water heater?

Remember

• Replacing a water heater after an earthquake can cost more than $500.
• Repairing fire damage and flooding damage can cost several thousand dollars, including the entire cost of your home!
• Check with your local Building Department for details of local requirements.
• Know where your main water valve is so that you can shut it off if you have a water leak.
• Know where your main gas valve is so that you can shut it off if you hear or smell a gas leak.

Water heaters must be braced (securely attached) to the studs in a wall. California law requires water heaters to be braced at the time of sale, or when a new water heater is installed.

The Solution

There are recommended solutions – all relatively inexpensive.

• Purchase and install a strap kit or bracing kit from your local hardware store. Be sure the kit is certified by the State Architect.

Other options include:

• Have a licensed plumber strap your water heater according to code.
• Use metal tubing or heavy metal strapping and lag screws and washers to secure the water heater to the wall studs.

The gas and water lines should also have flexible pipes. These are safer than rigid pipes during an earthquake.

Be sure to check the straps once a year. They may come loose due to vibrations, or other causes.

How-to Resources

• Your local home improvement store
• Earthquake preparedness websites posted of this site.

Our disclaimer:

• The effects, descriptions, recommendations & suggestions included in this website are intended to improve earthquake preparedness; however, they do not guarantee the safety of an individual or a structure.
• The Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA) takes responsibility for the inclusion of materials from various sources on these pages.
• The State of California, Seismic Safety Commission, ECA & all contributors to this document do not assume liability for any injury, death, property damage, loss of revenue or any other effect of an earthquake. 
  
   

There have been so many disasters in the past few years throughout regions all over the world. Many, many people experienced disasterous and unbelievable hardships from earthquakes, sunamis, floods, hurricanes, tornados and other traumatizing events. How many of them, I wonder, were even minimally prepared? Many lives were lost, many people were hurt and injured and there were billions of dollars in damages to property. Japan alone has had numerous earthquakes this year, earthquakes so enormous and destructive that day-to-day operations came to sudden halt.  Amazing!

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you were suddenly involved in a disaster?  Large or small, it pays to be prepared.  And you will thank yourself for taking action to begin building a supply of resources and supplies, making plans to ease the difficult situations you will find yourself in, in the event of a disaster.  You may not have the funds to purchase everything you will need but you can start small and build.

This year, the gas lines in my entire neighborhood were upgraded.  For the safety of everyone concerned, all gas service was shut off.  Mine was shut off for four days!  Why? Because when the upgrade was completed and the new meters were installed, I was unable to take off work right away.  So I was probably the only one in the area with no service.  I had no hot running water so I could not take a shower.  I couldn't cook, I couldn't dry my clothes and I had no central heat. I had to go live with a family member until I could take a vacation day off to have my services restored and checked for safety. 

I have experienced power outages as I am sure probably everyone has at some time in life.  The food in my refrigerator spoiled, I couldn't cook, wash or dry my clothes or read because I had no electricity.  I had no way to automatically open and close the garage door genie. I had no alarm clock, no television, no cordless telephone usage - no lights or power!  Now that's scary.  But I did have some emergency supplies that I had already began to stock up on.  So that made my experience much less tramatic.

Now the two above mentioned incidents pale in comparison to a major disaster.  But I was miserable non the less. Even though it may seem trivial on the surface, it was a huge inconvenience.  I can't imagine what it would be like if it had a major disaster.  But I do know that if I find myself part of a disaster, I want to be as totally prepared as I can.

Very soon, I will be posting articles and resources and tips for you to take advantage of.  And I hope you will seriously avail yourselves to this information.  Almost all of the information I offer will be free to you. But I will also refer you to a site I like where you can begin purchasing some supplies.  If you can purchase a large supply of items, great!  If not, start small and keep building.  Get your relatives, friends, neighbors and coworkers involved and refer them to this site so that they can start preparing too.

So check back regularly for my updates and make a conscious decision to start your emergency preparedness plan today!

You won't be sorry.