{"id":249730,"date":"2026-04-03T06:45:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T06:45:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/249730\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T06:45:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T06:45:40","slug":"how-to-prepare-for-the-next-earthquake-in-oakland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/249730\/","title":{"rendered":"How to prepare for the next earthquake in Oakland"},"content":{"rendered":"

A magnitude 4.6 quake<\/a> in the Santa Cruz Mountains was strong enough to wake Oakland up \u2014 or keep you up, if you\u2019re a night owl \u2014 around 1:40 a.m. Thursday.<\/p>\n

Of course, earthquakes are a fact of life in the Bay Area. Small temblors jostle us awake at night<\/a> and rattle buildings in the middle of the day. While most seismic events don\u2019t cause significant damage, it\u2019s only a matter of time until the \u201cBig One\u201d happens. And when it does, it\u2019ll be important for all of us to be prepared.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve likely heard of \u201cgo bags\u201d and practiced crouching under tables at school if you grew up in California. But when a quake is not fresh on the mind, it can feel overwhelming and deceptively low-priority to figure out how to prepare for the worst.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luckily, there are several simple steps you can take and resources you can take advantage of locally to be safer and more resilient on that inevitable day.<\/p>\n

How to stay safe during an earthquake<\/p>\n

If an earthquake strikes, experts say to drop to your hands and knees, and either crawl under a cover like a table or against a wall away from windows. Grab hold of something sturdy and stay crouched down, covering your head with your arms in case anything falls on you. The U.S. government\u2019s Ready website<\/a> has more detailed instructions, including for people using canes, walkers, or wheelchairs.<\/p>\n

Since earthquakes also happen at night, it\u2019s probably a good idea not to have heavy objects placed on shelves or mounted on walls above your bed. Conventional wisdom also says you should keep a pair of shoes under your bed<\/a> at all times. If the windows shatter, you\u2019ll want to avoid walking on the treacherous ground barefoot or pulling on a pair that has broken glass inside of it.<\/p>\n

If the building you\u2019re in gets damaged, move outside as soon as you safely can, wearing sturdy shoes and protective clothing like long sleeves.\u00a0Have a meeting place planned with family or friends.<\/p>\n

Having a few key tools at the ready is also important. If you smell a gas leak in your home, you can use a crescent wrench to shut off the gas at the meter once the rumbling has stopped. Read more about this on PG&E\u2019s website<\/a>. An up-to-date fire extinguisher is a must-have for any household.<\/p>\n

To find immediate information about an earthquake, check the U.S. Geological Survey\u2019s real-time map<\/a> of temblors around the world. You\u2019ll find the time of the quake, the location where it originated, and the magnitude, or physical size. Each subsequent number on the scale refers to a tenfold increase \u2014 for example, a magnitude 5.0 quake is 10 times as strong as a 4.0. The destructive Loma Prieta quake in 1989 was 6.9. The Hayward Fault<\/a>, which runs right under Oakland<\/a>, Berkeley, and Richmond, is capable of a 7.0 earthquake and geologists say it\u2019s among the \u201cmost active and dangerous\u201d faults<\/a> in the U.S.<\/p>\n

If you feel an earthquake, even a tiny one, the U.S. Geological Survey recommends reporting it<\/a> to the agency. These crowd-sourced reports lead to more precise data.<\/p>\n

How to sign up for emergency alerts<\/p>\n

Sign up for AC Alert<\/a> to receive mass emergency notifications via text, email, or phone from the county and local cities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The free MyShake app<\/a> provides advance notice for large earthquakes. Android users are automatically subscribed to alerts that use the same technology.<\/p>\n

Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis, something to watch out for if you live near the bayshore. The National Weather Service issues tsunami warnings and advisories at Tsunami.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How to pack a go bag and supply kit
\n\"goGo bag provided by the city of Oakland during a Personal Emergency Preparedness class. Credit: Natalie Orenstein\/The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

Alameda County has interactive checklists<\/a> and videos for packing emergency supply kits for your home, office, and car. You never know where you\u2019ll be, or where you\u2019ll need to go, if disaster strikes. These kits should have enough supplies for three to seven days, depending on where they\u2019re located.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are some of the most important items (but make sure to read the whole linked list):<\/p>\n

Water \u2014 one gallon per person or pet for each day\u00a0<\/p>\n

A water purification kit, in case water is not shut off but is potentially contaminated\u00a0<\/p>\n

Canned food (and a can opener!)<\/p>\n

Cash\u00a0<\/p>\n

Copies of important documents\u00a0<\/p>\n

Face masks, especially the N95 type that filter dust out of the air<\/p>\n

First aid kit<\/p>\n

Flashlight and batteries<\/p>\n

The California Office of Emergency Services also has a shorter list<\/a> of essentials for a \u201cgrab and go bag\u201d \u2014 something you can easily pick up and flee with in an emergency.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth thinking ahead about everyday and sentimental items you\u2019ll want to take with you if you have more time to leave in a different disaster, such as under an evacuation warning for a nearby wildfire.<\/p>\n

How to prep your home<\/p>\n

In addition to gathering items to keep at your residence, there are steps you can take to make your home safer. Homeowners can sign up to be alerted when this year\u2019s round of Brace + Bolt award<\/a> applications open, usually in the fall. The state program reimburses certain seismic upgrades up to $7,000, including bolting your home\u2019s foundation to the frame of the house.<\/p>\n

If you rent, there are small things you can do too that go a long way toward earthquake safety, such as confirming your water heater is appropriately strapped in place and asking your landlord if you can bolt bookshelves to your walls.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Association of Bay Area Governments has an online quiz<\/a> to determine how safe your home is.<\/p>\n

How to get trained in earthquake preparedness<\/p>\n

The city of Oakland hosts Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) trainings in different communities monthly. Participants learn about preparing for disasters, including basic first aid medicine, reducing hazards at home, and stocking emergency supplies. You can check the schedule<\/a> online.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oakland residents can also contact the city about co-hosting a PEP class for their neighborhood. If you\u2019d like to parlay your individual preparedness into supporting your broader community, consider taking a CERT training course after the PEP class.<\/p>\n

How to help out your community before and after a quake<\/p>\n

Oakland residents can undergo Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training<\/a> to support their neighborhoods and the city in the case of a disaster. Through this three-day training (you can also do a hybrid option over a longer period of time), you\u2019ll learn skills like extinguishing small fires, performing search and rescue, and organizing volunteers to act as first responders. Once you\u2019ve been trained, you\u2019ll be certified as a Disaster Service Worker Volunteer and may be tapped to help out in emergencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The city of Oakland encourages everyone to go through CERT training. However, the program has been paused this year as the city prepares the 2026 schedule. You can still sign up for the waitlist.<\/p>\n

When to practice for an earthquake<\/p>\n

International ShakeOut Day is Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m. local time. This is an annual worldwide earthquake drill; you can register to participate in California online<\/a>. You can customize the distance from your home and the magnitude of the quake that you want to trigger an alert in the app\u2019s settings under \u201cCustom Earthquake Notifications.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where to learn more about earthquake preparedness<\/p>\n

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