Key Takeaways
- Most earthquake injuries are preventable with basic preparation — securing furniture, building a kit, and knowing what to do takes less than a weekend and costs under $200.
- Drop, Cover, and Hold On is the scientifically validated protective action during shaking. Running outside or standing in doorframes are outdated myths that increase your risk.
- 72 hours of self-sufficiency is the minimum standard recommended by FEMA. In a major earthquake, emergency services may take days to reach your neighborhood.
- Your emergency plan is only useful if everyone in your household knows it. Practice it twice a year — once during the Great ShakeOut in October, and once on your own.
- Structural and nonstructural hazards are different problems. Your building may survive while unsecured bookcases, water heaters, and TVs become projectiles.
- After the shaking stops, the emergency isn't over. Aftershocks, gas leaks, and structural damage create ongoing risks for hours and days afterward.
Why Earthquake Preparedness Matters
Earthquakes give no warning. Unlike hurricanes or floods, there is no forecast, no evacuation order, no 48-hour countdown. The ground shakes, and in the next 10 to 60 seconds, everything you've done — or haven't done — to prepare determines the outcome.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that 143 million Americans live in areas with significant earthquake hazard. That includes the obvious zones — California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska — but also less expected regions like the New Madrid Seismic Zone across the central United States, the Wasatch Front in Utah, and parts of South Carolina and the Northeast.
According to FEMA, the average household can become meaningfully prepared for an earthquake in a single weekend and for less than $200. The problem isn't that preparation is difficult. The problem is that most people never start.
This guide walks you through everything: what to do before an earthquake, how to protect yourself during one, and how to recover afterward. Each section links to detailed guides where you can go deeper on specific topics.
The Three Phases of Earthquake Preparedness
Earthquake preparedness breaks into three distinct phases, each with its own priorities and actions. Skipping any one of them leaves a critical gap in your safety.
Before: Prepare Your Home, Your Family, and Your Supplies
This is the phase with the highest return on investment. Every dollar and hour spent here reduces your risk exponentially. Preparation covers four areas: securing your space, building an emergency kit, making a family plan, and knowing your local risks.
Build your earthquake emergency kit
Create your family earthquake plan
Secure your home against earthquake damage
During: Protect Yourself in the Moment
When the shaking starts, you have seconds to act. The right action depends on where you are — indoors, in bed, in a car, outdoors, near the coast. There is one correct response for most indoor situations: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Everything else is a variation based on your specific location and physical abilities.
What to do during an earthquake
After: Assess, Communicate, Recover
The minutes and hours after an earthquake are often more dangerous than the shaking itself. Aftershocks, gas leaks, structural damage, and emotional shock all require a clear-headed response. Knowing what to check, who to contact, and when to evacuate versus shelter in place can prevent secondary injuries and save lives.
What to do after an earthquake
Earthquake Preparedness Master Checklist
The table below summarizes every major preparedness action across all phases. Each item links to the detailed guide where you'll find step-by-step instructions.
Secure Your Space
| Action | Priority | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Secure heavy furniture to walls (bookcases, dressers, shelving) | High | $5–$30 per item |
| Strap water heater to wall studs | High | $15–$30 |
| Install flexible gas line connectors | High | $20–$50 (plumber recommended) |
| Mount TVs and monitors to walls or stands | Medium | $15–$40 |
| Apply safety film to large windows and glass doors | Medium | $30–$80 per window |
| Secure items on high shelves with museum putty or lip guards | Medium | $5–$15 |
| Move heavy objects to lower shelves | Low | Free |
| Install latches on kitchen cabinets | Medium | $3–$10 per cabinet |
| Know how to shut off gas, water, and electricity | High | Free |
Complete guide to securing your home
Build Your Emergency Kit
| Item | Quantity (Family of 4) | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Water (1 gallon per person per day) | 12 gallons minimum (3-day supply) | $10–$15 |
| Non-perishable food (3-day supply) | Canned goods, energy bars, dried fruit | $30–$60 |
| First aid kit | 1 comprehensive kit | $15–$40 |
| Flashlights and extra batteries | 2+ flashlights | $10–$20 |
| Battery-powered or hand-crank radio | 1 NOAA weather radio | $20–$40 |
| Whistle (to signal for help) | 1 per person | $2–$5 |
| Dust masks | 1 box (N95 recommended) | $10–$20 |
| Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities) | 1 (stored near gas meter) | $5–$15 |
| Local maps | 1 set | $5–$10 |
| Cell phone charger (portable battery pack) | 1+ | $15–$30 |
| Cash in small bills | $200+ recommended | — |
| Important documents (copies) | Insurance, IDs, medical info | $5–$10 (waterproof container) |
| Medications (7-day supply) | Per family member needs | Varies |
How to build your emergency kit
Best pre-made earthquake emergency kits reviewed
Make Your Family Plan
| Action | Priority |
|---|---|
| Designate an out-of-area emergency contact | High |
| Choose two family meeting locations (near home and outside neighborhood) | High |
| Practice Drop, Cover, Hold On with every household member | High |
| Teach every family member how to shut off utilities | High |
| Store emergency contacts on paper (not just phones) | Medium |
| Plan for pets, medications, mobility needs | Medium |
| Participate in the Great ShakeOut drill (October) | Medium |
| Review and update plan every 6 months | Medium |
Create your family emergency plan
What to do during an earthquake
Know Your Risk
| Action | Priority |
|---|---|
| Look up your earthquake hazard zone | High |
| Check if your building was built to modern seismic codes | High |
| Learn about soil liquefaction risk in your area | Medium |
| Understand tsunami risk if near the coast | Medium |
| Review your insurance coverage (earthquake insurance is separate from homeowners) | High |
Is earthquake insurance worth it?
Before an Earthquake: Detailed Preparation Steps
Secure Your Space
The leading cause of earthquake injury in the United States is not building collapse — it's falling objects and nonstructural hazards. Unsecured bookcases, water heaters, televisions, and kitchen cabinets become projectiles during moderate-to-strong shaking.
FEMA's guidance is straightforward: walk through every room in your home and identify anything that could fall, break, or become a hazard during shaking. Then secure it.
Water heaters are a critical priority. An unsecured 50-gallon water heater weighs over 400 pounds when full and can topple, rupturing gas lines and causing fires or flooding. Most states in seismic zones require water heater strapping by code. A strapping kit costs $15–$30 and takes about 30 minutes to install.
Tall furniture — bookcases, dressers, filing cabinets — should be anchored to wall studs using L-brackets or furniture straps. This is especially important in children's bedrooms and rooms where people sleep.
Heavy items on high shelves should be moved to lower positions. Use museum putty or quake putty to secure decorative items, picture frames, and anything made of glass.
Complete guide to securing your home for earthquakes
Build an Emergency Kit
FEMA and the American Red Cross recommend that every household maintain supplies for at least 72 hours (3 days) of self-sufficiency. In a major earthquake, infrastructure — roads, power, water, communications — may be disrupted for days or even weeks.
The foundation of any kit is water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable food, a first aid kit, flashlights, a battery-powered radio, and basic sanitation supplies. Beyond those essentials, your kit should be customized for your household's specific needs: prescription medications, infant supplies, pet food, mobility aids, or medical equipment.
Don't buy everything at once. Build your kit over a few weeks. Check it every six months — replace expired food and water, update medications, swap out batteries, and make sure clothing still fits children.
A pre-made emergency kit from a reputable brand is a reasonable starting point, typically ranging from $50 to $150. However, no pre-made kit is complete for every family. You'll always need to supplement it.
How to build your earthquake emergency kit
Best pre-made earthquake emergency kits reviewed
Create a Family Emergency Plan
A plan only works if everyone knows it. Your earthquake emergency plan should answer four questions:
- What does each person do during shaking? (Drop, Cover, Hold On — practice it.)
- Where do we meet afterward? (Two locations: one near home, one outside the neighborhood.)
- Who is our out-of-area contact? (Long-distance calls often go through when local lines are jammed.)
- What are each person's responsibilities? (Who grabs the kit? Who checks the gas? Who accounts for pets?)
Write the plan down. Keep copies in your emergency kit, your car, and your wallet. Make sure children, babysitters, and anyone who regularly spends time in your home knows the basics.
FEMA offers a free, downloadable family communication plan template that walks you through every step.
Create your family earthquake emergency plan
FEMA family emergency communication plan
Understand Your Earthquake Risk
Not all earthquake hazards are the same. Your risk depends on your proximity to fault lines, your local soil conditions, the age and construction type of your building, and your elevation relative to the coast (for tsunami risk).
The USGS provides hazard maps that show the probability of significant shaking in your area over the next 50 years. These maps are the foundation of building codes, insurance rates, and emergency planning.
If you live in a pre-1980 building, especially unreinforced masonry or soft-story construction, your seismic risk is significantly higher than in a modern code-built structure. Many cities — including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle — have retrofit mandates or incentive programs for vulnerable building types.
Earthquake fault lines in the United States
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
Get Earthquake Insurance
Standard homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Earthquake insurance is a separate policy, and in high-risk states, it's available through state programs like the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) or through private insurers.
Earthquake insurance typically has high deductibles — 10% to 20% of the dwelling coverage amount is standard. That means if your home is insured for $400,000, your deductible could be $40,000 to $80,000. The insurance covers catastrophic loss, not minor damage.
Whether earthquake insurance is worth the cost depends on your location, your building type, your mortgage requirements, and your financial ability to absorb a loss. FEMA recommends that all homeowners in seismically active areas at least evaluate earthquake insurance options.
Is earthquake insurance worth it?
During an Earthquake: What to Do When the Ground Shakes
When shaking begins, you have 5 to 15 seconds to act in a moderate earthquake, and up to 60 seconds in a major one. There is no time to think through options. Your response needs to be reflexive, trained by practice.
Drop, Cover, and Hold On
The consensus of every major emergency management agency in the United States — FEMA, the American Red Cross, USGS, and all 50 state emergency management agencies — is the same: Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
Drop to your hands and knees. This prevents you from being knocked down and allows you to crawl to shelter.
Cover your head and neck with one arm and crawl under a sturdy piece of furniture — a desk, table, or bench. If no furniture is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows and cover your head and neck with both arms.
Hold On to whatever you're sheltering under. If it moves, move with it. Shaking can shift furniture several feet across a room.
This protocol is based on decades of earthquake casualty research. The primary causes of injury and death in earthquakes (in countries with modern construction) are falling objects, shattered glass, and being thrown into hazards — not building collapse. Drop, Cover, and Hold On protects against all three.
Complete guide: what to do during an earthquake
Common Myths That Get People Hurt
"Stand in a doorway." This advice dates to unreinforced adobe construction where the door frame was the strongest part of the wall. In modern buildings, doorways are no stronger than any other part of the structure, and you're exposed to swinging doors and objects flying through the opening. FEMA explicitly advises against this.
"Run outside." Falling debris — bricks, glass, signs, power lines — is the number one killer in earthquakes. The area immediately outside a building is the most dangerous place to be during shaking.
"Triangle of life." This theory, which suggests lying next to large objects rather than under them, has been repeatedly debunked by structural engineers and rejected by every major emergency agency. It is based on a misunderstanding of how modern buildings fail.
After an Earthquake: Assessment and Recovery
The minutes immediately following an earthquake require a calm, systematic response. Aftershocks can begin within seconds of the main event and may continue for days, weeks, or months. Some aftershocks are strong enough to cause additional damage to weakened structures.
Immediate Actions
- Check yourself and others for injuries. Provide first aid if needed. Do not move seriously injured people unless they are in immediate danger.
- If you smell gas or hear a hissing sound, open windows, leave the building, and call the gas company or 911 from outside. Do not flip light switches or use any electrical equipment.
- Check for structural damage. If you see large cracks in walls, shifted foundations, or sagging ceilings, evacuate immediately.
- Expect aftershocks. Drop, Cover, and Hold On again each time.
- Text, don't call. Text messages use less bandwidth than voice calls and are more likely to get through on overloaded networks.
Communication
Designate an out-of-area contact — someone outside your region who can serve as a central communication point for your family. After a disaster, it's often easier to reach someone far away than someone across town. FEMA recommends that every family member carry the contact's phone number on paper, not just in their phone.
Use the American Red Cross "Safe and Well" registry to let people know you're okay: Red Cross Safe and Well.
Returning Home
If you evacuated, do not re-enter your home until it has been inspected. In many jurisdictions, local building departments will conduct rapid visual assessments and post buildings with colored tags: green (inspected, no apparent hazard), yellow (restricted use), or red (unsafe — do not enter).
Complete guide: what to do after an earthquake
Special Considerations
Earthquake Preparedness for Renters
You don't need to own your home to prepare. Renters can and should secure furniture, build emergency kits, and make family plans. Renter's insurance is inexpensive (typically $15–$30 per month), but like homeowner's insurance, it does not cover earthquake damage unless you add a separate earthquake policy.
Talk to your landlord about structural concerns. In many seismic zones, landlords are required by law to disclose whether a building has been seismically retrofitted.
Earthquake Preparedness for People with Disabilities and Access Needs
Standard preparedness advice assumes full mobility, hearing, and vision. If you or a household member has a disability or access need, your plan must account for it specifically.
Keep assistive devices — wheelchairs, walkers, hearing aids, glasses — secured near your bed at night. Include backup batteries or chargers for powered devices in your emergency kit. If you rely on electrically powered medical equipment, register with your utility company for priority restoration and have a backup power plan.
FEMA's guidance for people with disabilities is available at FEMA preparedness for people with disabilities.
Earthquake Preparedness for Pet Owners
Pets need their own preparedness supplies: food, water, medications, leashes or carriers, and copies of vaccination records. Most public shelters do not accept pets (with the exception of service animals), so identify pet-friendly sheltering options in advance.
Microchip your pets and keep ID tags current. In the chaos after an earthquake, pets escape, and identification is the difference between reunion and permanent separation.
Practice: The Great ShakeOut
Reading about preparedness isn't the same as practicing it. The Great ShakeOut is an annual earthquake drill held every October, organized by the Southern California Earthquake Center and participating emergency agencies worldwide. In 2023, over 51 million people participated.
Registering is free, and the ShakeOut website provides drill instructions, preparedness resources, and tools for businesses, schools, and households.
Register for the Great ShakeOut
Sources
- FEMA. "Earthquakes." Ready.gov. ready.gov/earthquakes
- American Red Cross. "Earthquake Safety." redcross.org earthquake safety
- USGS. "Earthquake Hazards Program." usgs.gov earthquake hazards
- Earthquake Country Alliance. "Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety." earthquakecountry.org
- Southern California Earthquake Center. "The Great ShakeOut." shakeout.org
- FEMA. "Preparedness for People with Disabilities." ready.gov/disability
- California Earthquake Authority. earthquakeauthority.com