What to do before
With the advice of a technician
Sometimes you might just need to reinforce load-bearing walls or improve connections between walls and floors: to make the right choice, seek the advice of a qualified technician.
On your own, immediately
- Move heavy furniture away from beds or sofas.
- Fix to the wall shelves, bookcases and other tall furniture; hang pictures and mirrors with closed hooks, in order to prevent them to come off the wall.
- Put heavy items on lower shelves; on the higher ones, you can hold objects with double-sided tape.
- In the kitchen, secure the cupboard flaps where plates and glasses are contained, so that they do not open during the shock.
- Learn where are and how to close the taps of gas and water and the master switch of the light.
- Pinpoint safe places in the house, where you can find a shelter in case of an earthquake: doorways, angles of the walls, under the table or under the bed.
- Keep at home a first aid kit, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio and make sure everyone knows where they are.
- Get informed if there is a Civil Protection Plan of your Municipality and what it provides for; should it not be available, ask for it, in order to know how to behave in case of emergency.
- Finally, delete any factor that, in case of an earthquake, can be a danger to you or your family.