House

• Be sure your house number is visible from the street so emergency vehicles can find you.
• Know how and when to turn off the water, gas, and electricity.
• If you use propane, and suspect a leak, turn off the shut-off valve on your storage tank.
• If you have no experience relighting, you should call your local propane dealer to restart your pilot lights.
• Propane is heavier than air. If it leaks, it will sink to low spots in or under your home. Be sure to ventilate low areas, if you suspect a leak.
• Consider replacing brick chimneys with a modern stud-frame chimney.
• Bolt foundations and reinforce walls. It’s cheaper to retrofit a house than repair it after an earthquake.

Apartment/High-Rise Building

• Note the location of the closest emergency exits.
• Be sure you know two ways out of the building in case your first choice is blocked.
  
• Locate stairways, avoid elevators in emergencies.
• Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together during an emergency.
• Find out if anyone has specialized expertise, such as medical knowledge that might help in a crisis.
• Discuss special needs with disabled neighbors.

Anywhere

• Move beds away from windows.
• Move mirrors and heavy pictures away from couches or places where people sit or sleep.
• Secure pictures and wall hangings and use restraints to secure heavy items such as bookcases and file cabinets.
• Do not sleep close to brick walls or chimneys, even if they are reinforced.
• Store heavy items on the lowest shelves.
• Clear hallways and exits for easy evacuation.
• Make backup plans with neighbors regarding your children in case you can't get home.
• Keep an ABC-rated fire extinguisher on each floor level and know how and when to use them.
• Strap down your water heater and fit all gas appliances with a flexible gas supply line.
• Ensure that all window safety bars have emergency releases.