Earthquake Home Hazard Hunt
FEMA 528
9/2005

Recommendations for reducing earthquake hazards in your home are presented on 
the 
other side of this poster.

Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

This is a two-sided, 22-inch by 17-inch poster.

The front of the poster depicts a cross section of a typical house and 
highlights with numbered circles various components and contents that may 
require modification for earthquake safety. The numbers refer to descriptions 
and illustrations on the reverse side of the poster.

The back of the poster presents the following text and illustrations:

Illustration: A reduced version of the illustration on the front of the poster.

This poster has information for you and your family to help you find and fix 
areas of your home that might be damaged in an earthquake and that might injure 
family members during an earthquake. Information is also provided on planning 
for an earthquake and safety steps you can take during and after an earthquake.

Your earthquake home hazard hunt should begin with all family members 
participating. Foresight, imagination, and common sense are all that are needed 
as you go from room to room imagining what would happen if the earth and house 
started shaking. Anything that can move, break, or fall when your house starts 
to shake is a potential hazard.

What would happen to heavy furniture, fixtures, and appliances?
 Look at tall bookcases and shelves. How much would fall off the shelves? 
Would the whole bookcase topple, or is it anchored to the wall? 
Anchor bookcases and other top-heavy furniture to wall studs using flexible 
fasteners (e.g., nylon straps) and lag screws. (See number 5 on main poster 
illustration.)
 Prevent refrigerators, washers, and other heavy appliances from moving by 
blocking the rollers. (See number 12 on main poster illustration.)
 Add bracing to support air conditioners, particularly on rooftops.
 Do you have hanging light fixtures or plants? Could they swing and hit a 
window or swing off their hooks? As a minimum precaution, transfer hanging 
plants from heavy clay pots to lighter ones and used closed hooks on all hanging 
items. (See number 6 on main poster illustration.)

Check for possible flying glass.
 Replace glass bottles in the medicine cabinet and around the bathtub and 
shower with plastic containers.
 What kind of latches are on your kitchen cabinets? Consider replacing magnetic 
touch latches with ones that will hold the cabinet doors shut during an 
earthquake. In some cases, a lip or low barrier across shelves may prevent 
breakables from sliding out. (See number 11 on main poster illustration.)
 Where do you sit or sleep? Anchor heavy mirrors and pictures over beds, 
chairs, and couches with wire through eye screws into studs. Locate beds away 
from windows. (See number 3 on main poster illustration.)

Think about fire safety.
 Remove all flammable liquids, such as painting and cleaning products, to the 
garage or outside storage area. Be sure these items are secured on their shelves 
or stored away from heat sources and appliances, particularly your water heater 
and furnace.
 Secure gas lines by installing flexible connectors to appliances. (See number 
10 on main poster illustration.)
 Is your water heater secured? Metal straps can be used to fasten your water 
heater to the wood studs of the nearest wall. (See number 8 on main poster 
illustration.)

What would happen to the house itself?
 Look at the outside of your home. What about your chimney? Masonry chimneys 
pose a real hazard in earthquakes, especially the freestanding section above the 
roof line, as bricks may fall into the house. (See number 4 on main poster 
illustration.)
 Check your roof. Make sure all tiles are secured  loose tiles could fall.
 Check foundation for loose or cracked plaster.
 Secure the wood sill and wall framing to the foundation using anchor bolts.
 Sheath crawlspace walls with plywood to prevent collapse. (See number 9 on 
main poster illustration.)
 Strengthen connections between posts and beams with bracing.

With your powers of perception more finely tuned, you may wish to extend these 
suggestions to your workplace. Check to determine whether your company has an 
earthquake safety plan.

Children can share their new awareness in the classroom. Determine whether their 
school has a practical earthquake plan, whether earthquake drills are held, and 
what the policy is if an earthquake occurs while school is in session.

Correcting Problems

Utilities (See number 7 on main poster illustration.)
Teach responsible members of your family how to turn off electricity, gas, and 
water at main switch and valves. Caution: Do not shut off gas unless an 
emergency exists. If gas is ever turned off, a professional must restore 
service. Contact your local utilities for more information.

Label the water shut-off valve, found where water enters the house. Also the 
main water shut-off valve, found with the meter in a concrete box in the 
sidewalk or yard.

Weak Crawlspace Walls (See number 9 on main poster illustration.)
Figure A: Strengthening weak crawlspace walls. This illustration shows how to 
strengthen crawlspace walls with blocking and plywood panels.

Wooden floors and stud walls are sometimes built on top of an exterior 
foundation to support a house and create a crawlspace. These walls carry the 
weight of the house. During an earthquake, these walls can collapse if they are 
not braced to resist horizontal movement. If the walls fail, the house may shift 
or fall.

You can look under your house in the crawlspace to see whether there are any 
wood stud walls supporting the first floor. Check to see whether the stud walls 
are braced with plywood panels or diagonal wood sheathing. If your house has 
neither of these, the wood stud crawlspace walls are probably insufficiently 
braced or are unbraced. Please note that horizontal or vertical wood siding is 
not strong enough to brace wood stud crawlspace walls.

Plywood or other wood products allowed by code should be nailed to the studs 
(see Figure A) to strengthen your foundation. The type of wood product used, the 
plywood thickness, and nail size and spacing are all important when making this 
upgrade.

Many other types of foundation walls are used in the United States that may need 
upgrading to resist earthquake damage. Check with your local Building Department 
or a licensed architect or engineer for recommendations on how to determine 
whether your foundation and walls are likely to be damaged in an earthquake and 
what upgrades may be needed. Check with local officials for permit requirements 
before starting work.

Remember, it is very expensive to lift a house, repair the foundation and walls, 
and put it back on its foundation, while upgrading before an earthquake will be 
much less costly.

Garages With Living Spaces Above  (See number 2 on main poster illustration.)
Figure B: Strengthening garage walls below living space. This illustration shows 
how to strengthen garage walls with anchor bolts, plywood panels, and steel 
straps.

The large opening of a garage door and the weight of a second-story room built 
over the garage can result in the garage walls being too weak to withstand 
earthquake shaking, resulting in severe damage. If the narrow sections of the 
wall on each side of the garage door opening are not reinforced or braced, the 
potential for earthquake damage is greater.

Look at the area around the garage door opening  are there braces or plywood 
panels? If not, strengthening may be needed. Consult a licensed architect or 
engineer to determine the strengthening required to upgrade your garage walls. 
Your home may need to have plywood paneling or a steel frame designed and 
installed around the door opening (see Figure B). Remember to obtain a permit 
from your local Building Department before starting work.

Chimney Bracing (See number 4 on main poster illustration.)
Figure C: Bracing masonry chimneys. This illustration shows how to brace a 
chimney with metal straps anchored to the roof.

To prevent the chimney from breaking away from the house, you should have it 
secured to the framing of the roof with sheet metal straps and angle bracing 
(see Figure C). If your roof doesnt have solid sheathing, consider adding 
plywood panels above the ceiling joists. Have the chimney inspected by a 
professional to determine whether the chimney should be upgraded or replaced.

Hanging Objects (See number 3 on main poster illustration.)
Prevent wall hangings from bouncing off walls:
 Secure mirrors, pictures, plants, and other objects on closed hooks.
 Secure the bottom corners with earthquake putty or adhesive pads.
 Place only soft art such as tapestries over beds and sofas.

Home Electronics (See numbers 1 and 13 on main poster illustration.)
Figure D: Securing home electronics. This illustration shows how to secure a 
large flat-panel TV with nylon straps.

Electronics are heavy objects and costly to replace. Secure TVs, stereos, 
computers, and microwaves with earthquake-resistant flexible nylon straps and 
buckles for easy removal and relocation (see Figure D).

In the Kitchen (See numbers 10, 11, and 12 on main poster illustration.)
Figure E: Securing cabinet doors and drawers. This illustration shows how 
cabinet doors and drawers can be prevented from opening accidentally with 
special latches.

Cabinet doors, refrigerators, and gas appliances should be secured so that they 
will not move or fall over during an earthquake.
 First, secure all cabinets above waist level securely to the wall studs.
 Use latches designed for earthquake, child-proofing, or boat safety to keep 
cabinet doors from flying open and contents falling (see Figure E).
 Have a plumber install flexible connectors on gas appliances.

Furniture (See number 5 on main poster illustration.)
Figure F: Securing top-heavy furniture. This illustration shows how to secure a 
tall bookcase with nylon straps anchored through the wall to the wall studs. 
Also shown are removable flexible straps across the fronts of the shelves that 
prevent stored items from falling.

Follow these important guidelines:
 Secure all tall, top-heavy furniture such as bookcases, wall units, and 
entertainment centers (see Figure F). Attach them securely to the wall studs 
with straps.
 Secure the top, on both the right and left sides of the unit, into wall studs, 
not just into the drywall.
 Use flexible mount fasteners such as nylon straps to allow furniture 
independent movement from the wall, reducing the strain on studs.
 Secure loose shelving by applying earthquake putty on each corner bracket.
 Store heavy items and breakables on lower shelves.

Water Heaters (See numbers 8 and 10 on main poster illustration.)
Figure G: Securing water heaters. This illustration shows a water heater secured 
to a wall with metal straps. Also shown are flexible water and gas line 
connections.

Water heaters should be braced (see Figure G). There are many solutions  all 
relatively inexpensive.

Purchase and install a strap kit or bracing kit from your local hardware store.
Other options include:
 Have a licensed plumber strap your water heater according to code.
 Use heavy metal strapping and screws to secure the water heater to the wall 
studs.

The gas and water lines should have flexible connector pipes. These are safer 
than rigid pipes during an earthquake. Be sure to check the straps once a year. 
They may come loose as a result of vibrations or other causes.

Take Action To Protect Yourself and  
Your Family From Earthquakes

Create and Practice Your Disaster Preparedness Plan
An emergency preparedness plan includes life-critical actions, life saving 
training, and the advance plans to enable you to respond to earthquakes and 
potential physical injuries and hazards no matter where you are.

Life-Critical Actions  Learn how to:
 Drop, cover, and hold.
 Signal for help, if you are trapped somewhere. Teach children and adults to use 
an emergency whistle and/or to knock three times repeatedly if trapped. Rescuers 
searching collapsed buildings will be listening for sounds.

Life Saving Training  Consider training in:
 First Aid
 CPR
 How to use a fire extinguisher
 How to shut off gas, water, and electricity

Your Disaster Preparedness Plan Should Include:
 Disaster Supplies Kits for home, workplace, and car
 Practicing Drop, Cover, and Hold
 Financial Plan
 Family Communications Plan that each family member understands
 Needs for all family members, including children, seniors, and pets

Financial Plan
You should store your familys documents, such as insurance policies, deeds, 
property records, birth certificates, and other important papers, in a safe 
place away from your home (e.g., safety deposit box). Make copies of important 
documents for your disaster supplies kit.

Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any 
crisis. Back up critical files on your computer and keep a copy in a safe place 
away from your home.

Create Your Disaster Supplies Kit
Because you dont know where you and your family will be when an earthquake 
occurs, prepare a Disaster Supplies Kit for your home, workplace, and car. For 
detailed information about the items that should be included in your disaster 
supplies kit, refer to FEMA 526, Earthquake Safety Checklist.

Family Earthquake Drill
Its important to know where you should go for protection when your house starts 
to shake. By planning and practicing what to do before an earthquake occurs, you 
can condition yourself and your family to react correctly and spontaneously when 
the first jolt or shaking is felt. An earthquake drill can teach your family 
what to do in an earthquake.
 Each family member should know safe spots in each room.
 Safe spots: The best places to be are under heavy pieces of furniture, such as a 
desk or sturdy table; under supported archways; and against inside walls.
 Danger spots: Stay away from windows, hanging objects, mirrors, fireplaces, 
and tall, unsecured pieces of furniture.
 Reinforce this knowledge by physically placing yourself in the safe locations. 
This is especially important for children.
 In the days or weeks after this exercise, hold surprise drills.
 Be prepared to deal with what you may experience after an earthquake  both 
physically and emotionally.
n	Following the drop, cover, and hold procedure is the best way to be safe 
during an earthquake.
 Take cover under a sturdy desk, table, or bench and hold on to the desk or 
table leg so that desk or table stays on top of you. Hold on until the 
earthquake shaking stops.
 Family members should practice drop, cover, and hold in the safe spots that 
you and your family have identified.

Further Information
For more information about earthquake preparedness and safety, refer to the 
following publications, which are available from the FEMA Distribution Facility 
at 1-800-480-2520. As noted, some are available for download from the FEMA 
website.

After Disaster Strikes: How to recover financially from a natural disaster,  
FEMA 292. Available in both English and Spanish.

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness, IS-22, August 2004. 
Full publication and individual sections available online in both English and 
Spanish at http://fema.gov/preparedness/prepare_guides_links.shtm.

Before Disaster Strikes: How to make sure youre financially prepared to deal 
with a natural disaster, FEMA 291, May 1997. Available in both English and 
Spanish.

Earthquake Safety Checklist, FEMA 526, August 2005.

Earthquake Safety Guide for Homeowners, FEMA 530, September 2005.

Food and Water in an Emergency, FEMA 477, August 2004. Available online in both 
English and Spanish at http://fema.gov/preparedness/prepare_guides_links.shtm.

Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and Special Needs, FEMA 476. 
August 2004. Available online in both English and Spanish at  
http://fema.gov/preparedness/prepare_guides_links.shtm.

Visit the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov/hazards/earthquakes/ for information 
about the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and more ways to 
address earthquake risks.