Foresthill2024

EMERGENCY & SAFETY GUIDE

AFTER THE QUAKE... REMAIN CALM! Prepare for the possible aftershocks. Stop and take time to think. Become a part of the solution and not part of the problem. Assess your situation.

damage to your electrical wiring. Do not switch on the gas or electricity until the utility officials have checked your home. Do not touch downed lines or electrical wiring of any kind. Check to see that sewage lines are intact before using the toilet. Plug bathtub and sink drains to prevent sewage backup. Check for cracks in the house, particularly the chimneys or masonry walls. Check closets and cupboards. Open doors carefully and watch for objects that may fall from shelves. • Do not use your vehicle unless there is an emergency. Streets and roads may be impassable for travel. Keep streets clear for passage of emergency vehicles. • Check food and water supplies. Do not eat or drink anything from opened containers near shattered glass. If water is cut off, use stored emergency water supplies or water found in toilet tanks (not the bowl), water heaters or melted ice cubes. • Turn on your battery-powered radio or car radio for damage reports and information. Know your Emergency Broadcast System radio stations. • Practice strict sanitation and keep fingers out of the mouth. If there is a limited supply of water, the possibility of infection or increased health hazards are high. • Be prepared for aftershocks. They are sometimes weaker than the main shock, but can cause additional damage. • Cooperate with public safety officials. Be prepared to evacuate when necessary.

• Check for injuries. If anyone has stopped breathing, give mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing. Provide emergency first aid as needed. Do not try and move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Cover the injured with blankets to keep them warm. • Replace telephone handsets that may have shaken off. Do not use the telephone unless there is a life or death emergency. • Put on heavy shoes and work gloves and then check your home for safety. • Check for fires, fire hazards, or other household hazards (spilled chemicals, medicines, flammable liquids, etc.). Check gas, water and electrical lines, and check appliances for damage. If you smell gas or see a broken line, shut off the main gas valve. If a water line has broken, shut off main water valve. Open windows and leave house as soon as a search for damage is completed. • Do not search for gas leaks with a lighted match. Do not use electrical switches or appliances if gas leaks are suspected – sparks can ignite gas from broken lines. Switch off electrical power if there is

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