Disaster Preparedness Checklist

I hope all my friends and their relatives in Japan are well.   

I attach information a friend sent me on Preparing for an Earthquake, What to do during an Earthquake, and What to do after.  She got this information from the American Embassy and the Tokyo City websites.  

WHAT TO DO BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE

Essential Home Preparations

• Secure water heaters, refrigerators and tall and heavy furniture to the walls to prevent falling.
• Move heavy items to lower shelves, and install latches or other locking devices on cabinets.
• Install flexible connections on gas appliances.
• Remove or isolate flammable materials.
• Move beds and children's play areas away from heavy objects which may fall in an earthquake.
•  Register at Embassy or Consulate serving your area; contact information is on the reverse side of this checklist.

Essential Planning

• Draw a floor plan of your home showing the location of exit windows and doors, utility cut off points, emergency supplies, food, tools, etc.  Share it with baby-sitters and guests.
• Establish family meeting points with alternate sites inside and outside of your home for all members to gather in the event of an evacuation.

• Designate a person outside of your immediate area for separated family members to call to report their location and condition if separated.

• Learn or establish disaser policy/planning at your children's school.
• Know your neighbors and make them aware of the number of people living in your home.

• Learn where the nearest designated shelter and/ or evacuation areas for your neighborhood is.

• Photocopy passports and other important documents. Store copies away from home (for example, at work).

• Learn how to contact the police, fire and rescue services in Japanese.  Be able to provide your address in Japanese.

                                              

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN EARTHQUAKE

IF YOU ARE AT HOME

*Do not move until the main quake ceases.

*Shelter under a table. If there is no place to hide, protect your head with a pillow or a cushion.

*Check your immediate surroundings for fire, gas leaks, broken glass and other hazards

*Turn off all heat sources immediately.

After the main shock calms down, immediately turn off the gas and heating appliances. Anything that could cause a fire should be turned off.

*Secure a way to evacuate the premises.

Open the doors to rooms and the entrance of the house as distortion of the building by aftershocks may jam doors. Always wear shoes even when inside a house to avoid injury – there could be pieces of broken glass or other dangerous objects on the floor.

*Do not become panicked by aftershocks.

It is possible that small shakes may occur following the main quake. Remember to stay calm even when you feel the aftershocks..

*Get ready to evacuate.

Before you leave the house, make sure you shut off the gas supply valve as well as the circuit breaker. If you are in a building, always use the stairs to evacuate. You should not use elevators.

*Evacuate on foot.

You should always walk when you evacuate. Never use cars, motorcycles or bicycles. Do not try to take more than you need for emergency survival.

*Know your local evacuation area (eg. school or park grounds)

*  Contact one friend or relative in your home country, and ask them to inform other parties of your situation.

 * Monitor local TV and radio for evacuation information (If   available in your area, for English info, listen to AFN 810AM).

IF YOU ARE AWAY FROM HOME

*In a residential area:

Stay away from gates and concrete block walls if you are in a residential area at the time of an earthquake.

*In the city center:

Protect your head with your bag or a similar object from possible falling objects such as broken windows or signboards. Find an open area or a park to which you should evacuate.

*Do not approach vending machines, utility poles or downed power lines.

*Do not go near cliffs or riverbanks since they could

 collapse at any moment.

*In a high-rise building:

Evacuate from the building by using the stairs. You should never use elevators.

*In an underground mall:

Protect your head with your bags or clothes. After the main shock ceases, exit on the ground level.  Be careful to avoid falling and being trampled by others.

*On an elevator:

If the elevator is equipped with an earthquake sensor, it will stop automatically at the nearest floor when the quake occurs. Get off the immediately and use  stairs to evacuate.

 If the elevator is not equipped with this sensor, it won't stop by itself; you should push every floor button and get off at any floor it first stops at and then use a staircase to evacuate.

If the door doesn't open, use the emergency feature available such as a phone, button or bell to inform someone that you are trapped. Do not force the door to open from inside.  Wait until the rescue service arrives.

*On a train:

Grab a strap or bar to prevent yourself from falling. After the train stops, stay calm and wait for instructions from the conductor; without instructions, do not attempt to get out of the train by unlocking the emergency door lock or by jumping out from the window.