READY WRIGLEY 

PREPARES FOR

EARTHQUAKES
This series has been endorsed by:

www.healthychildren.org www.savethechildren.org/GetReadyGetSafe
Note to Parents, Guardians, and Teachers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created Ready Wrigley to 

provide parents, guardians, teachers, and young children with tips, activities, and 

a story to help the whole family prepare for emergencies. Together with your child, 

join Wrigley as she helps her family prepare for emergencies by staying informed, 

packing emergency kits, and making a family communication plan.

The activity book is designed to provide an interactive tool to further your child’s 

education and promote disaster preparedness in your community. We hope you 

will encourage its use in your schools, communities, and families to help children 

learn the importance of being prepared.

READY WRIGLEY

NAME:

1
Wrigley is excited to teach her family about earthquakes! 

An earthquake is when the rock under the earth’s surface 

moves. When that happens, the ground under your feet 

can shake, move, or crack. 

Decode the secret message to learn what three 

things to do during an earthquake. 

KEY

1–A

2–B

3–C

4–D

5–E

6–F

7–G

8–H

9–I

10–J

11–K

12–L

13–M

14–N

15–O

16–P

17–Q

18–R

19–S

20–T

21–U

22–V

23–W

24–X

25–Y

26–Z

4 18 15 16 

3 15 22 5 18 

1 14 4 

8 15 12 4 15 14

!

2
Earthquakes can be felt over large areas. They can 

happen at any time, with no warning. An earthquake 

usually lasts for less than a minute. 

3
After the first big earthquake, smaller earthquakes can 

follow called aftershocks. There may be a lot of these after 

the first big earthquake. Remember to drop to the ground, 

take cover under a table and protect your head, and hold 

on to something sturdy. 

How many words can you make using the word

AFTERSHOCK?

4
Wrigley and her family know that an earthquake can 

happen at any time, so they need to be prepared. 

What should they do?

READY WRIGLEY TO THE RESCUE! 

5
Before an earthquake, Wrigley and her 

family fill out their family communication 

plan so that everyone knows who to 

contact in an emergency.

Fill out a plan with your family to have in 

an emergency. 

Cut Here

MY FAMILY COMMUNICATION PLAN 

My Name:

My Address:

My Telephone Number:

Meeting Place:

Family Information

Work Number:

Cell Number:

Email: 

Neighbor/Relative name and number:

Out of town contact name and number:

 Always remember to dial 911 in emergencies. 

6
Wrigley also helps her family create an emergency kit. 

Can you color all of the items below for the emergency kit?

Make sure you have enough food, water, and 

supplies in your kit to last 3 days.

-

-

7
EMERGENCY KIT SEARCH 

Pets need emergency kits, too!

Help Wrigley put her emergency kit items together by 

circling the words below. The words can be across, down, 

or even diagonal. 

BLANKET

BONE

BOWL

COLLAR

CRATE

FOOD

LEASH

MEDICINE

PHOTO

RECORDS

WATER

S

I

W

N

O

R

E

C

O

R

D

S

P

I

B

E

G

I

X

J

D

C

N

A

H

Z

R

N

O

U

C

T

I

R

V

L

O

S

D

C

M

E

D

I

C

I

N

E

T

B

B

V

Z

B

L

B

L

N

C

C

O

L

L

A

R

E

K

E

Q

H

C

F

A

J

O

E

F

K

A

O

B

U

E

B

P

R

F

S

A

V

X

B

U

L

X

U

B

H

T

N

E

T

O

J

A

W

O

Z

A

W

L

U

A

U

N

H

B

W

U

A

P

G

J

R

E

C

U

K

O

C

J

L

N

C

S

H

X

W

S

T

K

C

P

C

Z

R

Y

I

B

W

R

R

L

H

D

O

L

L

J

X

Y

J

Z

L

J

L

P

O

Y

8
Wrigley shows her family safe places in their house where 

they can practice “drop, cover, and hold on.”

Circle safe spots for Wrigley and her family during an 

earthquake. 

Downstairs: coffee table, kitchen table. Upstairs: desk.

Take cover under a sturdy table. Make sure 

heavy furniture will not fall on you and stay 

away from windows and glass. 

9
PICTURE FIND

To make their house safer, Wrigley and her family find 

things that may fall during an earthquake. They move 

heavy objects to lower shelves and make sure pictures 

and mirrors are secure on the wall. 

Color the items that need to be secure.

Books, basket, candles, clock, fruit bowl, globe, picture frames, plant 

10
IF YOU ARE INSIDE

If you are inside when an earthquake starts, stay inside. 

Remember to DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON! Drop to the 

floor, take cover under a table and protect your head and 

eyes, and hold on to something sturdy. 

11
 IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE

If you are outside during an earthquake, move to a clear 

area away from trees, signs, buildings, street lights, and 

power lines that might fall. Drop to your knees and cover 

your head until the shaking stops. 

12
IF YOU ARE IN YOUR CAR

If you are in a car, make sure the driver of the car pulls 

over to the side of the road, away from bridges and power 

lines. Stay inside your car until the shaking stops. Cover your 

head and keep your seatbelt fastened. 

13
When the shaking stops after an earthquake, make sure it 

is safe to move from your hiding place.

Help Wrigley and her family safely get out of their house 

after an earthquake. 

It is normal to feel afraid during and after an 

earthquake. Talk to an adult about your feelings. 

14
AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE 

After an earthquake, your house and neighborhood 

may look different. There are things that may need to be 

cleaned up, fixed, or thrown away.

Can you spot the differences before and after the 

earthquake? Circle the damage to Wrigley’s house. 

15
Cut Here

GREAT JOB! 

(Your Name) 

is ready for earthquakes! 

Before an earthquake, remember to:

• Fill out your emergency communication plan

• Get the house ready

• Check your emergency kit and make sure 

you have everything you need

• Listen to the radio or TV for information

• Keep your pets safe! 

Here are some things I learned: 

1 

2 

3 

16
Written by Cate Shockey

Artwork and layout by Jennifer Hulsey 
CS241737

For more fun activities visit 

www.cdc.gov/phpr/readywrigley

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention