Earthquake Preparedness Guide for Home and Family

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Earthquake Basics: What to Expect

An earthquake is unlike any other disaster in one important way: there is no warning. Hurricanes and wildfires give days of preparation notice. Winter storms show up on the forecast. An earthquake starts and ends within a minute or two — but the follow-on effects (structural damage, gas leaks, water contamination, days without power, aftershocks) can extend for weeks. Preparation happens beforehand or not at all.

This guide covers earthquake preparedness the way a household in an actual seismic zone approaches it: home structural prep, securing furniture, gas shut-off tools, family communication plan, water and food storage, first aid, drop-cover-hold-on, and after-the-shake response. Companion coverage in our emergency preparedness guide.

Assessing Your Regional Risk

The West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska) has the highest and best-known seismic risk in the U.S., but earthquakes happen elsewhere too — the New Madrid seismic zone (Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas), the Wasatch Fault (Utah), and the Charleston, South Carolina area all carry real earthquake risk. If your region has a state or county earthquake preparedness resource, use it — regional risk drives specific prep priorities.

Home Structural Preparation

Older homes on cripple walls, unreinforced masonry, or with soft-story construction are the highest-risk residential structures. Retrofits (bolting the sill to the foundation, reinforcing cripple walls, adding shear panels) reduce earthquake damage substantially — California’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt program subsidizes some of this. For homes in newer seismic-code construction, structural retrofit is generally not needed but the household-level preparations below are.

Securing Furniture and Appliances

Falling furniture and appliances cause a large fraction of earthquake injuries. Secure with anti-tip straps: QuakeHold furniture strap kits, TV wall mount straps, refrigerator anti-tip straps, water heater strap kits. Tall bookcases and dressers get anchored to studs at the top. Heavy items go on low shelves. Beds move away from windows and heavy objects that could fall onto them. This is genuinely one of the highest-return preps you can make.

Gas Shut-Off Tools and How to Use Them

Gas leaks after an earthquake are a major post-disaster fire risk. If you smell gas, hear hissing at the meter, or see visible damage to gas lines, shut off the gas at the meter. This requires a wrench. Keep one at the meter, another inside the house. 4-in-1 gas shut-off wrenches work on both gas and water meters. Practice the shut-off procedure once so you know how, but don’t shut off the gas as a precaution — a licensed technician has to relight everything after, and reopening improperly can cause a bigger problem.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On

The current recommended response during shaking is Drop, Cover, and Hold On — drop to your hands and knees before the earthquake knocks you down, take cover under a sturdy table or desk (or against an interior wall away from windows and heavy furniture), hold on and protect your head and neck. The old "stand in a doorway" advice is outdated for modern construction. Do not run outside during shaking — most injuries happen from falling debris outside doorways and from falls during transit.

Family Communication Plan

Cell networks routinely fail during and after major earthquakes. Designate an out-of-state contact everyone in the family checks in with (out-of-state calls sometimes get through when local ones don’t). Establish meeting points if home is inaccessible. Set text messaging as the default (texts get through when calls won’t). Practice the plan annually so everyone actually remembers.

Water Storage for Post-Earthquake

Water mains break in major quakes. Storing at least 1 gallon per person per day for 7–14 days is the standard target. Larger households scale up. Rotate stored water annually. Storage options in our companion best water storage containers and how much water to store per person guides.

Food Storage Considerations

Store food that doesn’t require cooking (bread will be difficult when the power’s out and gas is shut off): canned goods with pull-tops, dried fruit, nuts, granola bars, peanut butter, canned tuna and chicken. See our emergency food storage guide for the full framework.

First Aid and Trauma Kit

Standard first aid supplies plus supplementary trauma gear — the injury profile from earthquakes leans toward cuts from broken glass, crush injuries, and head trauma. Hemostatic gauze, tourniquets, sturdy tweezers for glass removal, sturdy shoes stored bed-side (glass on the floor is the classic earthquake injury). Companion coverage of first aid basics in our best emergency first aid kits guide.

After the Earthquake: First 24 Hours

Once shaking stops: check for injuries in your household, evacuate the building only if you smell gas or see structural damage, check for gas smell at all appliances and the meter, shut off gas ONLY if leak evidence, check water pipes for damage, be prepared for aftershocks (which can be nearly as large as the initial quake), stay off phones unless emergency (leave the network for genuine emergencies). Assume services will be out for days.

Insurance Considerations

Standard homeowners insurance does not cover earthquake damage. In California, the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) offers separate earthquake insurance policies. Other states have private earthquake insurance carriers. Deductibles are typically high (10–20% of dwelling coverage), but for total-loss scenarios the coverage matters.

Common Earthquake Prep Mistakes

Not securing tall furniture. Storing water heater without a strap kit (it’s typically the second-most-damaging fixture after chimneys). Assuming standard homeowners insurance covers earthquakes. Placing beds under windows or heavy shelves. Not having a gas shut-off wrench at the meter. Trying to memorize an emergency plan without practicing it.

Key Takeaways

• No warning — preparation happens beforehand or not at all.
• Secure furniture, TVs, water heater — this is the highest-return prep.
• Drop, Cover, and Hold On is current guidance. Do NOT run outside during shaking.
• Gas shut-off wrench at the meter; know the procedure but don’t shut off preemptively.
• Store 1 gallon of water per person per day for 7–14 days.
• Standard homeowners does NOT cover earthquake damage — separate policy needed.

FAQ

Should I run outside during an earthquake? No. Drop, Cover, and Hold On indoors is safer. Most injuries happen from debris outside and from transit during shaking.

Do I need to shut off the gas after every earthquake? No — only if you smell gas, hear hissing, or see damage. Preemptive shut-off requires a technician to relight everything and is often more disruption than value.

Does homeowners insurance cover earthquakes? No — standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage. Separate earthquake insurance is required.

How much water should I store for an earthquake? 1 gallon per person per day for at least 7–14 days. Households in higher-risk zones store more.