[KIT-list] From Sue: Earthquake early alert apps and some important tips.

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Hi everyone,

I know many in our KIT List community live in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

If so, did you feel the earthquake this morning?

I got an alert on my iPhone with a voice saying, "Earthquake alert! Stop, drop and cover" out loud just before the earthquake hit. It works!!

California now has an early warning system to help people have seconds to get into a protected position just before a quake.

Today's first earthquake was 5.1 and from the Seven Trees area of San Jose. And there were a few smaller aftershocks.

Coincidentally, October is "Earthquake Awareness Month" since the big Loma Prieta Quake was in October 1989.

Today's shakes are good reminders that it's worth it to take a few easy steps…

1. GET THE ALERT APP:
Here are the two apps you can get on your smartphones to tap into the early warning alerts. Below are the iPhone links, but you can search in your Apps Store for any brand of smartphone. A few moments can make a lifesaving difference in a bigger quake!

- MyShake:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/myshake/id1467058529

- Earthquake:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-earthquake-alerts-feed/id975709372


2. DO YOU HAVE WATER?
The most important survivability item is WATER! In the case of a very large earthquake, experts say we will be on our own for 5 - 10 days before help can come since local emergency services and hospitals will be overwhelmed within 15 minutes.

We can do without food, but people need a minimum of ONE GALLON of water per day to survive. Also, there is no emergency water supply for Menlo Park on the east side of El Camino.

It's easy to get water for your family! There are one-gallon Crystal Geyser bottles in strong plastic with a plastic handle at Safeway for about $1 each. Or you can buy pre-filled ten-gallon containers at Whole Foods. Water never expires, but it's good to write the date of purchase on them.

It's also important to have stored food — especially if you have kids or pets. Just picking up a few extra things each time you go to the store or order online is an easy way! Put them in a plastic storage container in the garage and you've got a good start! You can also buy emergency food kits or first aid kits online or at Costco. Many great supplies are at our local ACE Hardware on Santa Cruz Avenue!


3. TURN OFF GAS (in a big shake!)
The greatest risk we have is actually fire. Since neighborhood homes are often close, a fire can spread very quickly through the entire neighborhood (often by trees) and you can lose everything.

So in the case of a very large earthquake, be sure to turn off your gas at the side of your house (or find out where it is for apartments or condos). You can use a wrench to turn the valve 45° to close it. Here's a video on how to do it:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VyEfXqMh74A


4. FREE EMERGENCY TRAINING
The power of taking care of each other is the most important thing in a big emergency. I've taken CERT
(Community Emergency Preparedness Training) which is what the state has created in order to get residents trained to help each other since emergency services won't be able to help us.

You can sign up to get this important training, which is a good refresher on First Aid, but also provides a very important earthquake and survivability training.

You can sign up for CERT training through your local fire department or through this FEMA site:
https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/cert-trainings?language=en_US



Thankfully, today's earthquake was a moderate one. Yet this is a reminder that we live in earthquake territory — and being prepared can make all the difference between surviving and thriving, or being seriously impacted.

Just take a few simple steps today and over the next few weeks and you'll be glad you did! ❤️

Warmly,

Sue

Sue Connelly
KIT List Founder
www.KITlist.org


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