Start with access, not shopping
Store the kit where you can reach it without crossing broken glass or opening a jammed cabinet. Keep a smaller version in the car or at work if you spend long periods away from home. Check it twice a year and after using anything.
Core checklist
Make the plan usable
- Put shoes and a flashlight next to the bed.
- Anchor tall furniture and keep heavy objects low.
- Choose two meeting places: one close to home and one outside the neighborhood.
- Write contacts on paper in case phones or networks are unavailable.
- Keep the app configured with contacts, an alert radius, and a recognizable alarm.
After the shaking
Check yourself and people nearby, watch for fire and gas hazards, and leave damaged buildings. Use text messages when calls are congested. Follow local emergency management instructions and do not re-enter a damaged structure until authorities say it is safe.
A ten-minute drill
Walk through the route from bed to outside, identify the kit, send a test message to your household, and say out loud where the two meeting places are. Repetition turns a list into muscle memory.
Follow your country’s civil-protection instructions during an emergency and confirm reports with official seismic sources.
Reviewed October 10, 2026. Earthquake parameters may be revised after an initial report.