How do I prepare? Is a big question. I've broken it down into 5 phases roughly outlining the order events might happen. Certainly all preparedness needs to happen before hand - but if you do it in sequential increments, you might be able to mentally deal with it better.
Phase one should be relabeld: Initial Survival. In order to survive an earthquake (and many other events), you've got to be sure your house or place of work doesn't crush you. You also need to have a basic 72 hour survival kit and a family meeting place so you can regroup and assess your situation.
After you have initially survived, your next immediate thoughts will turn to rescuing others - family, friends, neighbors. I highly recommend getting some training for this like: CERT ( http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/ ) and First Aid. Basic training can protect you from endangering yourself and others. Storing some basic rescue related tools would also come in quite handy.
After you have stablilzed your family and neighbors, you will need to report your situation to someone. In church we have the HAM radio network and priesthood leadership to report to. Non members may wish to report their situation to whatever local authorities exist. Accurate and prompt reporting is vital to getting emergency help and services. Government will respond to where the greatest need is reported first. Prompt assessment and reporting will speed up the system (as it were). This is where an out of state family contact is also vital. Your loved ones hearing the news are going to be frantic to find out if you are ok. Plan ahead for whom that contact will be and for possible alternative ways of reaching them. (RACES and other HAM radio organizations can assist with this, after emergency response communications are handled. Likely your local government and/or responders will work on a system for getting messages out of the area - be alert and watch for your opportunities - and be patient. It is going to take time.)
Now the fun part - long term survival. This may be 24, 48 or 72 hours later. Help is still "on it's way?" You need to be prepared to hunker down and wait it out. Think Food, Water, Sanitation and Shelter. By planning and preparing for this stage well ahead of time, you greatly increase your chances for surviving in some level of comfort and avoiding further problems with disease. I think it is a greater tragedy to survive a major event, to then die because basic survival needs are not met. Sometimes evacuation is possible, often times it is not. Safety is another issue at this point. It is in this stage that people begin to act in ugly ways - looting, marauding, etc... Work with your neighbors ahead of time to see that they are prepared and you improve your chances of survival. The very basics of tribal society will become real life - so plan ahead to develop a cooperative community of family and neighbors to help each other out during this trying time.
Finally there is recovery. Think ahead to protect your assets. Scan and copy important documents to DVD - make copies and have them stored in safe/ out of the way places. Look into your insurance opportunities. What will you do if your employment system is destroyed or delayed significantly? Begin an emergency fund. There will be government help, at a cost. There will also be opportunists and fraud. Get your self into a postion where you are not desparate and can take the time to take advantage of the best opportunities. Be wary, be careful, be smart.
Phase one should be relabeld: Initial Survival. In order to survive an earthquake (and many other events), you've got to be sure your house or place of work doesn't crush you. You also need to have a basic 72 hour survival kit and a family meeting place so you can regroup and assess your situation.
After you have initially survived, your next immediate thoughts will turn to rescuing others - family, friends, neighbors. I highly recommend getting some training for this like: CERT ( http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/ ) and First Aid. Basic training can protect you from endangering yourself and others. Storing some basic rescue related tools would also come in quite handy.
After you have stablilzed your family and neighbors, you will need to report your situation to someone. In church we have the HAM radio network and priesthood leadership to report to. Non members may wish to report their situation to whatever local authorities exist. Accurate and prompt reporting is vital to getting emergency help and services. Government will respond to where the greatest need is reported first. Prompt assessment and reporting will speed up the system (as it were). This is where an out of state family contact is also vital. Your loved ones hearing the news are going to be frantic to find out if you are ok. Plan ahead for whom that contact will be and for possible alternative ways of reaching them. (RACES and other HAM radio organizations can assist with this, after emergency response communications are handled. Likely your local government and/or responders will work on a system for getting messages out of the area - be alert and watch for your opportunities - and be patient. It is going to take time.)
Now the fun part - long term survival. This may be 24, 48 or 72 hours later. Help is still "on it's way?" You need to be prepared to hunker down and wait it out. Think Food, Water, Sanitation and Shelter. By planning and preparing for this stage well ahead of time, you greatly increase your chances for surviving in some level of comfort and avoiding further problems with disease. I think it is a greater tragedy to survive a major event, to then die because basic survival needs are not met. Sometimes evacuation is possible, often times it is not. Safety is another issue at this point. It is in this stage that people begin to act in ugly ways - looting, marauding, etc... Work with your neighbors ahead of time to see that they are prepared and you improve your chances of survival. The very basics of tribal society will become real life - so plan ahead to develop a cooperative community of family and neighbors to help each other out during this trying time.
Finally there is recovery. Think ahead to protect your assets. Scan and copy important documents to DVD - make copies and have them stored in safe/ out of the way places. Look into your insurance opportunities. What will you do if your employment system is destroyed or delayed significantly? Begin an emergency fund. There will be government help, at a cost. There will also be opportunists and fraud. Get your self into a postion where you are not desparate and can take the time to take advantage of the best opportunities. Be wary, be careful, be smart.
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