Responding: Geologic Events
Earthquakes
No matter where you are, there are steps you can take to protect yourself during an earthquake.
- Indoors: Remain indoors. Get under a desk or table or stand in a corner.
- Outdoors: Go to an open area away from trees, buildings, walls and power lines.
- In a high-rise building: Stay away from windows and outside walls. Get under a table. Do not use elevators.
- Driving: Pull over to the side of the road and stop. Avoid overpasses and power lines. Stay inside your car until the shaking is over.
- In a crowded public place: Do not rush for the doors. Crouch and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.
- Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit.
- If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris. Landslides are often triggered by earthquakes.
After the earthquake:
- Expect aftershocks. Aftershocks frequently occur minutes, days, weeks and even months following an earthquake.
- Get everyone outside if your building is unsafe. Exit via the stairs. Aftershocks following earthquakes can cause further damage to unstable buildings.
- Be aware that fire alarms and sprinkler systems frequently go off in buildings during an earthquake, even if there is no fire. Check for and extinguish small fires. Exit via the stairs if there is fire. Fire is the most common hazard following earthquakes.
- Clean up spilled chemicals, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately.
- Open closet and cabinet doors cautiously. Contents could have shifted during the shaking and could fall, creating further damage or injury.
- Check the telephones. Cellular telephone equipment is subject to damage by earthquakes and cell phones might not be able to get a signal, but land line phones might work.
Landslides
During a severe storm, if your workplace is in an area susceptible to landslides, you should:
- Stay tuned to your local stations for warnings of heavy rainfall. Be aware that short bursts of heavy rain might be particularly dangerous, especially after longer periods of heavy rain and damp weather.
- Consider leaving if it is safe to do so, though driving during a severe storm can be dangerous. If you remain at work, move to a higher story if possible.
- Listen for any unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together. A trickle of flowing or falling mud or debris might precede a large landslide. Moving debris can flow quickly and sometimes without warning.
- If your workplace is near a stream or channel, be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and for a change from clear to muddy water. Such changes might indicate landslide activity upstream. Be prepared to move quickly.
If you learn or suspect that a landslide is occurring or about to occur in your area, you should:
- Contact your local fire, police or public works department. Local officials are the people best able to assess the potential danger.
- Inform others nearby. They might not be aware of the potential hazard.
- Leave. Getting out of the path of a landslide or debris flow is your best protection.
After a landslide, you should:
- Stay away from the slide area. There might be danger of additional slides.
- Check for injured and trapped persons and animals near the slide, without entering the area. Direct rescuers to their locations.
- Help people who require special assistance – infants, elderly people, people with disabilities.
- Watch for flooding that could occur after a landslide or debris flow.
- Look for and report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.
- Check your building, foundation and surrounding land for damage.
- Listen to local stations for the latest emergency information.
