[Video] SJFD's Fire Captain Joseph King goes over what you should do before, during, and after an earthquake (Mire el video en español | Xem video bằng tiếng Việt | 观看普通话视频 | 觀看國語影片).

Earthquakes can happen at any time and without warning. The City of San José is especially prone to earthquakes due to its close proximity to the San Andreas and Hayward faults. That’s why the San José Fire Department would like to encourage you to take steps now to protect yourself and your family before, during, and after an earthquake. Start by signing up to participate in the Great California Shakeout—happening October 16 at 10:16 a.m.—by visiting https://www.shakeout.org/register/.

The Great California ShakeOut is an annual earthquake preparedness drill designed to help residents practice and prepare for the next major earthquake. Join millions of Californians this Thursday as they “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in their homes, schools, and workplaces at 10:16 a.m. Together, we can strengthen our community resiliency by participating in the ShakeOut and implementing earthquake preparedness measures. Here are some steps you can take to be earthquake ready:

• Practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.” Conduct earthquake drills with your family and coworkers at least once each year.
• Make a plan. Create a family emergency communications plan that includes emergency contact information, escape routes out of your home, and a family meeting place.
• Make a go-kit. Build an emergency supply kit that includes critical items and basic necessities your household may need in an emergency. Include enough food and water to last each household member several days.
• Secure hazards in your home. Identify and secure heavy items such as bookcases, televisions, and objects that hang on walls. Store heavy and breakable objects on low shelves.
• Sign up for emergency alerts. Stay informed by signing up for AlertSCC and downloading the Genasys Protect app. AlertSCC provides county-wide emergency alerts, while Genasys Protect delivers neighborhood-specific evacuation updates and emergency alerts tailored to your location.
• Protect your home. Consider building improvements to fix structural issues that could cause your home to collapse during an earthquake. California’s Earthquake Brace & Bolt Program provides small grants for qualifying projects to help pay retrofit costs. For anyone not in the grant program but who wants to do a retrofit, San José's Building Division supplies homeowners and contractors with state-approved earthquake retrofit plans.

For more information on earthquake preparedness, visit https://bit.ly/Earthquake-Safety. Stay safe, San José!