Check for injuries
- Check yourself for serious injuries before helping others. Protect your mouth, nose, and eyes from dust.
- If a person is bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound. Use clean gauze or cloth, if available.
- If a person is not breathing, administer rescue breathing.
- If a person has no pulse, begin CPR.
- Do not move seriously injured persons, unless they are in immediate danger of further harm.
- Cover injured persons with blankets or additional clothing to keep them warm.
Check for damage causing hazardous conditions
- Fire—If possible, put out small fires in your home or neighborhood immediately. Call for help, but don’t wait for the fire department.
- Gas leaks—Only turn off the gas if you suspect a leak because of broken pipes or detect the odor or sound of leaking natural gas. Use a manual gas shut off wrench to close your main gas valve by turning it counterclockwise. Don’t turn gas back on by yourself—wait for the gas company or get a plumber!
- Damaged electrical wiring—Shut off power at the main breaker switch if there is any damage to your home wiring. Leave the power off until the damage is repaired!
- Downed utility lines—If you see downed power lines, consider them energized and keep yourself and others well away from them. Never touch downed power lines or any objects in contact with them!
- Falling items—Beware of heavy items tumbling off shelves when you open closet and cupboard doors.
- Spills—Use extreme caution; when in doubt, leave your home! Spilled medicines, drugs, or other relatively non-toxic substance can be cleaned up. Potentially harmful materials, such as bleach, lye, garden chemicals, paint, and gasoline or other flammable liquids should be isolated or covered with an absorbent material, such as dirt or cat litter.
- Damaged masonry—Stay away from brick chimneys and walls. They may be weakened and could topple during aftershocks. Don’t use a fireplace with a damaged chimney, as this could start a fire or trap toxic gases in your home!
If your home is seriously damaged...
If your home is structurally unsafe or threatened by a fire or other secondary disaster, you need to evacuate. However, shelters may be overcrowded and initially lack basic services, so do not leave home just because utilities are out of service or your home and its contents have suffered moderate damage.
If you evacuate, tell a neighbor and your family point-of-contact where you are going. Take the following, if possible, when you evacuate:
Bring to a shelter
- Personal disaster supply kits (see step 3).
- Supply of water, food, and snacks.
- Blanket, pillow, and air mattress or sleeping pad.
- Change of clothing and a jacket.
- Towel and washcloth.
- Diapers, formula, food, and other supplies for infants.
- Personal identification and copies of household and health insurance information.
- Books and games (especially for children).
However, do not bring
- Pets (service animals for people with disabilities are allowed—bring food for them).
- Large quantities of unnecessary clothing or other personal items.
- Valuables that might be lost, stolen, or take up needed space.
Check on your neighbors
If your family and home are in good condition, checking on your neighbors would be the next step. Your elderly or disabled neighbors may need your help. It will be important for citizens to help each other out after a major earthquake, but you should never put yourself in a dangerous situation. If it is too dangerous, get help.
