What are 10 ways to prepare for an earthquake?

10 Easy Steps for Earthquake Preparedness Seek out a safe spot. ... Practice “drop, cover, and hold on.” ... Involve everyone in your practice drills. ... Establish a meeting place. ... Develop a communication plan. ... Put together earthquake preparedness kits. ... Remember to prep for your pet(s). ... Identify alternate shelter. More items... •

mwg.aaa.com - 10 Easy Steps to Earthquake Preparedness | Via - AAA

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As recent tremors across California remind us, it’s never too soon to prepare for an earthquake—especially if you live in the West. The simple steps you take now will help protect you and your household when the next round of shaking starts, and keep everyone safe in the event of aftershocks, an emergency, or a larger disaster.

1. Seek out a safe spot.

As part of your earthquake prep, examine each room of your home and figure out where to go when shaking starts. Contrary to popular belief, the safest place is not the nearest doorway, where you risk getting hit by a swinging door, breaking glass, or falling objects. It's better to move to an inside corner of the room, away from windows, light fixtures, shelves, and art or other hanging items that may shatter or fall. If possible, you want to take shelter under sturdy furniture, such as a solid wood or metal table, to protect yourself, according to Casey Brennan, senior director of social impact and advocacy at AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah. Do not move to another room or run outside: You’ll likely put yourself at greater risk. The area immediately next to any building is one of the most dangerous places to be because debris often falls off structures. Consider that some earthquakes are so powerful that you may not be able to walk or even crawl while it's happening. If you’re in bed, stay where you are, but roll over on your stomach and cover your head and neck with a pillow for protection. Keep a bag secured to the underside of the bed containing hard-soled shoes, a flashlight with extra batteries, work gloves, and a whistle. (These utilitarian items may serve you well in other types of emergencies too.) If that sounds like overkill, consider that the most common injury resulting from the July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake in Southern California was cut feet. “The first thing to do after an earthquake is to put on shoes and clothes to be safe,” says Margaret Vinci, manager of earthquake programs at the Seismological Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

2. Practice “drop, cover, and hold on.”

This crucial safety precaution means exactly what it says: Drop to the ground on your hands and knees, wherever you are, and tuck your head in toward your legs. Cover your head and neck with one hand to help protect them from falling objects as you crawl to shelter, ideally under a sturdy piece of furniture. Hold on to the furniture with one hand while you cover your head and neck with the other. The hazards aren’t over when the first wave of shaking stops. Aftershocks can come seconds, minutes, and days later. “Stay in your safe place until the shaking stops and you feel safe to move, but be aware of things that might fall after the shaking or with aftershocks,” Vinci says. Practice the Drop, Cover, and Hold On drill with your family at least once a year. If you need a reminder, mark your calendar for the Great ShakeOut in October, when millions of people around the world participate in earthquake safety drills. “The more you practice and know your safe places, the more your body will intuitively get you into the safe place before you even think about it,” Vinci says.

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Why is it called the Ring of Fire?

The Ring of Fire gets its name from all of the volcanoes that lie along this belt. Roughly 75 percent of the world's volcanoes are located here, many underwater. This area is also a hub of seismic activity, or earthquakes. Ninety percent of earthquakes occur in this zone.

snexplores.org - Scientists Say: Ring of Fire - Science News Explores

Ring of Fire (noun, “RING OF FYE-er”)

This term describes an area on Earth that holds most of the world’s earthquake sites and active volcanoes. The Ring of Fire gets its name from all of the volcanoes that lie along this belt. Roughly 75 percent of the world’s volcanoes are located here, many underwater. This area is also a hub of seismic activity, or earthquakes. Ninety percent of earthquakes occur in this zone. The Ring of Fire stretches about 40,000 kilometers (24,900 miles). It is located on the edges of the Pacific Ocean. This belt sits atop places where many of the Earth’s tectonic plates meet. Tectonic plates are enormous pieces of the Earth’s outer layer. Some plates are as big — or even bigger than — entire continents. These plates can move, rubbing up against each other or one sliding below another. This slipping and sliding can produce earthquakes and volcanoes. Sometimes eruptions and earthquakes happen within a few days in distant places along the Ring of Fire. That doesn’t mean that their activity is linked. An earthquake or volcano in one place doesn’t trigger other ones far away.