Personal and Family Response

These are your step-by-step instructions for checking yourself, your family, and your home following a major disaster, such as an earthquake. The order and details may vary based on the situation.

Immediate Response: Duck and cover; get safe.

  1. Check your personal health condition

    Pat down arms, head, torso, legs
    Check for open wounds, sprains, fractures, and/or internal pain

  2. Assemble your family

    Gather everyone in your household and assess their health
    Call 911 if necessary, but understand their response may be limited
    Follow your Family Emergency Plan for reconnecting, etc.

  3. Perform any necessary family triage or first aid

    Evaluate health conditions of household and prioritize first aid response and treatment

  4. Organize your family members

    Decide immediate tasks and assign them to household members

  5. Create a communications network

    Create a way to communicate with each other (radio, voice, whistle)

  6. Check on your pets

    Assess pet health condition and impact; look for freeze, fight, flight response

  7. Perform property reconnaissance

    Based upon disaster, walk around and assess your entire property to determine whether to camp out or evacuate
    Also check the 2 homes on either side, the 3 in front, and the behind

  8. Move your car to edge of driveway facing out

    Pack with Bug Out Bags and other items identified in your Family Emergency Plan

  9. Decide whether to evacuate or stay

  10. Prepare your backyard campout for seven (7) days in case of major earthquake

    See Disaster Camping Basics handout

See the “EAP Response Checklist” for neighborhood action items