Feel an Earthquake? Here’s What To Do

Forget scrambling for a doorway. 

When an earthquake hits, Californians should DROP, COVER and HOLD ON.

1. DROP

Hit your knees and assume a crawling position so you don’t fall if the shaking gets severe.

2. COVER 

Use your arms to cover your head and neck or get under a table or desk. In bed? Use a pillow to cover your head.

3. HOLD ON

Grab a table leg or part of whatever you're sheltering under with one hand so you can move with your shelter as it shifts—or keep covering your head and neck with your arms.

Over the decades, earthquake survival advice has evolved considerably. Recent research from disaster recovery experts also points to what NOT to do in an earthquake:

Don’t Head for a Doorway

In the earliest photos of post-earthquake destruction like those following the 1906 quake in San Francisco, doorframes were often the only parts of adobe or brick buildings that remained standing. This imagery drove a century of guidance to head for a doorway when the ground begins shaking. But building codes in California have advanced to the point where entire buildings are designed to remain standing and doorframes are now no more stable than other parts of a structure.

Don’t Run Outside

Many injuries in an earthquake result from being hit by falling objects. Running outdoors from a home or building increases the chance of stepping on broken glass or being hit by shattered windows, downed wires or tree branches dropping to the ground. Experts now believe it is safer to shelter in place.

Don’t Rely on the 'Triangle of Life'

Advice from the aftermath of earthquakes overseas led some to believe it could be safer to lie next to a table than underneath one. This theory has been refuted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency because of strong building codes domestically and the rarity of buildings actually “pancaking” in the U.S.

Find the lastest expert advice at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Ready.gov website and refer to these five ways Californians can prepare for quakes.