Buckle Down Around the House

Emergency preparedness is more than First Aid kits and water supplies (although those are very important!). Deborah Tauscher, emergency preparedness coordinator at Mills-Peninsula, recommends that we start the New Year with a mini-inspection of our homes to identify and correct potential hazards in the event of an earthquake.

Deborah has been writing a series about emergency preparedness for Mills-Peninsula’s health blog. This is her tenth entry of easy-to-follow recommendations. 

She recommends that people install latches to prevent items from falling out of cabinets and shelves during an earthquake.

“Remember to store heavy items on the bottom shelves and check to ensure the shelving is stable. This is a good practice not only for emergency preparation but also for preventing common injuries in the home,” she says.

Often overlooked unsecured items include:

• Computers
• Microwaves
• Small appliances
• Light fixtures
• Hot water heaters

“As you walk through each room, imagine it shaking and take note of items that are not secured, including family heirlooms, precious objects or sentimental items. Take time to secure each item and be sure it is out of the way of other things that could potentially crash down. Your hardware store can assist with selecting the best type of fastener for securing furniture and other items,” Deborah says.

For more preparedness tips, check out MPHS’ ongoing series of blog posts about disaster preparedness