Home Safety
Home Safety Preparedness

•    Prepare an emergency supplies kit

      -   Your emergency supplies kit should contain essential food, water, spare clothes, money,
          and first aid kit.
      -   Remember to make your kit’s storage portable and easy to use so that a woman or child could carry it.
      -   Keep this kit in a designated place, where all your household members could easily find,
          and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly.
      -   Check your kit at least twice a year to ensure the freshness of food, water, and medications,
          and to add new items as needed.

•    Control your utilities (electricity, gas, & water)

      -    Acknowledge the location of your Electrical Fuse Box, Electrical Meter, Gas Main Valve,
           and Water Main.
      -    Teach your household members how to safely shut off utilities.
      -    Attach a wrench to the gas meter so you will not need to look for one during an emergency.
      -    Have the proper tool attached near the water main to turn it off in case of an emergency.
      -    IMPORTANT!  - stay out of water and don’t touch any bare wires until electricity is turned off as it may
           electrocute you.

•    Safeguard your documents

     -    Create a list of all documents you may need in an emergency (e.g., passport, birth certificate).
     -    Use waterproof document container to keep your documents safe from floods or leaks.
     -    Keep your documents in a safe place such as safe deposit box at home or you may also use safe
          deposit vault in a bank.

•    Strap and/or secure heavy furniture to the wall

     Oftentimes, apartment buildings are taller than single family dwellings, which can result in more noticeable
     swaying at higher floors during an earthquake. By securing bookcases, filing cabinets, TV, and other
     heavy items to the wall, you may decrease the risk of falling objects and subsequent injury.