EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS PLAN – WHEN TO START

earthquake preparedness plan

Despite what many people think, there is no such thing as “earthquake weather” and because there is no correlation between quakes and weather, having an earthquake preparedness plan is absolutely essential.

You’d be surprised at how many people believe that summertime is when earthquakes are more likely to strike because the air temperature is warmer. Of course the reality is that earthquakes happen under ground and the air temperature has no bearing on what occurs beneath the surface.

The fact of the matter is that earthquakes can happen at any time anywhere, so you need to have an earthquake preparedness plan so you’ll be ready when it comes.

From a business’s standpoint, the most prudent approach is to undertake equipment fastening programs to make sure all of your equipment is secured in place and to have earthquake preparedness supplies and disaster kits on hand for your employees.

And now would be a really good time to start working on those things.

Earthquake Safety

The first step to earthquake safety is to identify potential hazards around the workplace and fix them. What that means is to secure them in place.

It’s known as seismic mitigation and is a system whereby your equipment is fastened down to prevent it from falling over and smashing while all the shaking is going on. Tall, top-heavy equipment will do that if it isn’t secured to the wall or braced to the floor.

There are many ways to secure equipment depending on the size and shape of the items that need to be fastened.

Some examples of fastening systems that have been developed for commercial application include laboratory fastening, data center seismic mitigation, warehouse seismic mitigation and computer monitor fastening kits.

Most of the fastening systems consist of flexible nylon straps, Thumb Lock buckles and industrial strength adhesives and they really work.

These fastening programs are used widely throughout the biotech industry in California. Those companies make substantial investments in equipment for research and development and can’t afford to lose their equipment or data in an earthquake.

It would be a massive setback for them; therefore they see the tremendous value of undertaking non-structural seismic mitigation programs. The cost of securing the equipment is far less than what it would cost to replace it if it was lost in an earthquake.

Survival Kits

Having an earthquake preparedness plan means you and your employees need to know what to do before, during and after an earthquake, and as mentioned above, an integral part of that strategy is having emergency kits at the ready.

earthquake preparedness plan

Depending on the size of your workforce, it might make sense to have four-person emergency kits, or 10-person or even 20-person site safety kits on hand, rather than individual survival kits that are better suited to smaller operations.

Either way, kits should contain enough food, water and other essential supplies to get your staff through the first 72 hours after a big quake. That’s the minimum requirement as determined by FEMA, which says it’s unlikely that first responders will get to you before then so you should be self sufficient for at least three days.

Seismic Protection Products and Services

With more than 50 years’ combined experience in seismic mitigation and earthquake preparedness, QuakeHOLD! Industrial can recommend the right solutions to meet your needs.

You can research the full range of seismic protection products and services at www.quakeholdindustrial.com and schedule a free risk assessment of your business.

If you run a business in a seismically active zone you definitely need to have an earthquake preparedness plan in place and we strongly suggest that you start today.

Earthquake Preparedness And Businesses

Did you know that in California it is mandatory for a business to seismically brace non-structural items? Under Title 24, Section 1613A of the California Building Code, if you own a business you must undertake earthquake preparedness measures.

While that may seem a little daunting to the uninitiated, the reality is that non-structural seismic mitigation is a relatively seamless process.

The building code outlines the following: movable items that are five feet or taller must be braced, along with things like cabinets and bookcases that are at least six feet tall, equipment that weighs more than 400 lbs and is more than four feet high, plus temporary containers of flammable or hazardous materials.

Vessels, including tanks and pressurized spheres on braced or un-braced legs, bins or hoppers, batteries on racks and all other self-supporting structures that are not otherwise covered also need to be secured.

Phew! That sure seems like a lot, but don’t be fazed by it.

If this information is news to you, the good news is that earthquake preparedness and seismic bracing and non-structural seismic mitigation etc all services are available online. Search for non-structural seismic mitigation in Google and you will find Quake Hold Industrial and many more to cater to your service.

Equipment Fastening

When we talk about fastening equipment what we really mean is that expensive items in labs, clean rooms, data centers and so on should be secured.

HPLCs, centrifuges, mass spectrometers and more can all be fastened in place so that they won’t come crashing down in the next earthquake.

Not only is it a matter of adhering to building codes, it’s also good business practice to secure your equipment to prevent damage and loss, not to mention avoiding potential injuries to your employees.

Don’t feel bad if you’re not totally familiar with the concept of non-structural seismic mitigation or the seismic protection products and services that are available these days because unless you’ve been living in earthquake country for a while you may not have had reason to look into it.

But now that you know a little more about it, as well as the fact that you need to do it, you at least know where to get information.

Risk Assessment

To help determine your needs contact an earthquake preparedness company to schedule a free risk assessment of your business.

As we’ve been urging you repeatedly this year, if you run a business in a seismically active zone you need to become pro-active about earthquake preparedness and we strongly encourage you to start today.

Earthquake Preparedness Is Being Prepared

Earthquake Preparedness encompasses a lot of different things from securing office equipment and furniture to having a plan for what to do after an emergency and of course having emergency kits on hand.

If you haven’t done any of these things then it could seem somewhat overwhelming, but the reality is that if you stick your head in the sand and just hope for the best, you could end up paying a very heavy price.

Right now in Washington State there’s a pretty good Public Information campaign going on that encourages people to get prepared for the onset of winter.

That’s because Old Man Winter can sometimes unleash harsh conditions in the Pacific Northwest and one of the things the campaign urges Washingtonians to do is get emergency kits.

If you have one in your car, for example, then if you get stuck somewhere at least you’ll have basic essentials to help you survive. Most of us don’t like to think about these things, but what’s worse? Thinking about these things and making the effort to get prepared, or ignoring it all and being caught unprepared?

Seismic Fastening Program

The same is true of your business. If you live in an earthquake zone, say anywhere from Washington south to California, it would be foolhardy to roll the dice and hope that you’ll be immune to the next big earthquake.

And as all the experts tell us, it’s not a question of ‘if’ we get one but ‘when’ we get one, so you’d better be prepared.

That means not just learning more about earthquake preparedness it also means undertaking seismic bracing of your valuable equipment.

That is what we specialize in at QuakeHOLD! Industrial and we have solutions for all kinds of applications.

What we’re talking about here is securing equipment in data centers, server rooms, labs and such like. Things that could topple over and smash on the floor and consequently adversely impact your business operations if you were without them.

Non-Structural Seismic Mitigation is how it’s referred to in the industry and it’s really the best way to safeguard your equipment against damage or loss in an earthquake. It will also help to ensure the effectiveness of your business continuity plans.

You can read up on the various products and services that are available to you on our website www.quakeholdindustrial.com

Risk Assessment

To help determine your needs please contact us to schedule a free risk assessment of your business.

As we’ve been urging you repeatedly this year, if you run a business in a seismically active zone you need to become pro-active about earthquake preparedness and we strongly encourage you to start today.

Earthquake Preparedness And Being Prepared

There has been a lot of talking going on lately about earthquake preparedness and the need for everyone to pay more attention to it, but what does being prepared actually mean for your business?

Earthquake Preparedness should be uppermost on your mind right about now, particularly if you are based in California because of the Great California ShakeOut.

At 10:21am on 10/21 around 7 million people will Drop, Cover and Hold On as part of the biggest earthquake drill in US history. Even people in Yuma, Arizona will be getting involved.

And next year, there will be a Great Central US ShakeOut in April. Why? Because according to the earthquake experts, there will be a big one in the order of a magnitude 8.0 somewhere in California sooner rather than later and if we’re not prepared life will become very dicey.

Secure Your Business

What being prepared really means as far as a business goes is making sure that all the potential hazards around the workplace are secured, having emergency kits or emergency supplies on hand for your employees and ensuring that they are working in a safer environment.

That means seismic mitigation is something that you, as a business owner, should look into now if you haven’t already done so.

It’s all too easy to dismiss it as something that you’ll eventually get around to later, but the problem with that approach is that the longer you leave it the greater the chances are of an earthquake wreaking havoc on your business.

It is absolutely critical for a business to undertake non-structural seismic mitigation.

What is that? It’s making sure that everything that is heavy enough to hurt people if it falls on them is fastened down. Tall items, top-heavy equipment or office file cabinets all come under this category.

An earthquake preparedness expert can take all the worry and effort out of the process for you. There are few well renowned organizations with more than 50 years’ combined experience in seismic bracing that can provide you solution for all your needs. You can also avail customized fasteners to fit your particular application.

You can also look for full range of seismic protection products and services, which are developed specifically for commercial application. If you run a business in a seismically active zone, you need to become pro-active about earthquake preparedness and we suggest that you should start today.

Earthquake Preparedness Secure Your Space

As part of promotional efforts in the lead up to the Great California ShakeOut, the biggest earthquake preparedness drill in US history on October 21st, we took part in a media event in San Diego.

The purpose of the exercise was to promote awareness of earthquake preparedness and more precisely to show the public what to do beforehand.

Businesses across California, along with schools, federal and state agencies and the general public will all stop what they’re doing at 10:21am on 10/21 to ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’.

Also part of this year’s ShakeOut theme is the crucial ‘Secure Your Space’ message.

Secure Your Space

QuakeHOLD! Industrial partnered with the San Diego Office of Emergency Services, the County and the San Diego Police Department to get the earthquake preparedness message out via the media.

A local Middle School hosted the event where the Big Shaker, the world’s largest mobile earthquake simulator, was front and center. QuakeHOLD! Industrial simulated quakes of magnitude 6.8-7.5 in order to demonstrate to students and the media alike the benefits of taking the time to secure potential hazards around the home and office.

From a business standpoint, securing items in data centers, server rooms, clean rooms and labs is probably one of the smartest things you can do if your operations are located in an earthquake zone.

And by the way, it’s not just the West Coast of the US that is susceptible to quakes. Check out the New Madrid Fault and how many states would be affected if that fault was to rupture.

Many businesses have done little to get prepared and they may well regret their inaction.

The most recent study conducted by researchers at UCLA found that the vast majority of Californians haven’t done very much at all to get prepared for an earthquake and when the big one comes, and the experts tell us it will, they could wind up out of business because they weren’t prepared.

Seismic Protection Products

In an earthquake top-heavy things that are unsecured will crash to the floor, as will unsecured desktop appliances and equipment. That’s why it’s vitally important for a business to undertake non-structural seismic mitigation.

To start with, you could consider utilizing seismic protection products and services such as those offered at QuakeHOLD! Industrial.

The expertise of Quake Hold Industrial encompasses floor fastening systems, lab equipment fastening and countertop fasteners. We also specialize in emergency supplies such as evacuation kits for employees.

There is much more information on the various products and services offered by Quake Hold Industrial on their website www.quakeholdindustrial.com

Risk Assessment

To help figure out your needs you can contact QuakeHOLD! Industrial to schedule a risk assessment of your premises.

QuakeHOLD! Industrial has been reminding you repeatedly during the past few months, if you run a business in a seismically active zone, you need to become pro-active about earthquake preparedness and suggesting you to start today.

Earthquake Preparedness And Shakeout

The biggest earthquake preparedness drill in US history is set for October 21, 2010 with the staging of the Great California ShakeOut and it is expected to involve the participation of upwards of 10 million people.

The purpose of the exercise, which is now in its third year, is to raise awareness of earthquake preparedness.

Businesses across the Golden State, along with schools, government agencies and the community in general will all stop what they’re doing at 10:21am on 10/21 to ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’.

Also part of this year’s ShakeOut theme is the important ‘Secure Your Space’ message.

You can get more information about what’s planned, as well as sign up your own business to participate, at http://www.shakeout.org

Secure Your Space

From a business standpoint, securing items in data centers, server rooms, warehouses and offices is probably one of the most crucial programs you can undertake if your operations are in an earthquake zone.

Many businesses have done little, if anything, about getting prepared and that lack of action could come back to haunt them.

We say that because the most recent studies have shown that the vast majority of businesses in California have done precious little in the way of getting themselves prepared for an earthquake and when the big one comes, which it will, they could be left ruing their inaction.

You see, here’s what happens during earthquakes. The tall, top-heavy things that aren’t secured topple over and crash to the floor. The same can happen to unsecured desktop appliances and equipment.

So you can imagine what might happen to a business if, for example, its servers are rendered useless, or expensive equipment in the clean room gets smashed, or its CPUs end up in pieces on the floor.

Just one of those incidents on its own could knock a business offline at least temporarily, but when combined a business would be crippled, which is precisely why it is so critical for a business to undertake non-structural seismic mitigation.

And it’s not just California where businesses have been lackadaisical about preparedness. Similar data suggests the Pacific Northwest and the central US fall into a similar category.

Recognizing that, authorities in Washington State conducted their own ‘Big Rumble 2010’ disaster preparedness exercise in Kitsap County and their counterparts in the central part of the country are planning the first ‘Great Central US ShakeOut’ for April 28, 2011.

Equipment Fastening

While ShakeOut is expected to draw widespread attention to earthquake preparedness and hopefully encourage more businesses in California to take it more seriously, you might be one of those owners wondering just what you should be doing to get your business prepared for an earthquake.

To start with, you could consider utilizing seismic protection products and services such as those offered by QuakeHOLD! Industrial.

Our expertise encompasses floor fastening systems, lab equipment fastening and countertop fasteners.

Depending on the size and type of items to be secured, we use a variety of fastening methods.

Some examples - for free standing items we might use a four-corner system of industrial strength straps and floor anchors, flexible straps and quick release buckles for countertop items, and netting to secure loose items on a rack.

There is much more information on the various fastening systems that we have developed on our website www.quakeholdindustrial.com

Risk Assessment

To help figure out our solutions for your needs you can contact us to schedule a risk assessment of your premises.

As we’ve been reminding you repeatedly during the past few months, if you run a business in a seismically active zone, you need to become pro-active about earthquake preparedness and we suggest that you should start today.

Earthquake Preparedness And Emergency Lighting

Whenever an earthquake strikes one of the first services to be knocked offline is the power supply potentially leaving you in darkness, therefore your earthquake preparedness planning should include emergency lighting and plenty of it.

Because the power can sometimes be out for days at a time, it is just as important to have a reliable source of light as it is to have enough food, water and other essentials to get through the initial critical period.

Since Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the Gulf coast, federal and state agencies have constantly been telling us, and rightly so, that we need to be prepared to fend for ourselves for at least the first three days after an emergency.

If you don’t have a source of light it can make life awfully difficult, especially when working in confined or dimly lit spaces.

Lightsticks

From a business standpoint, if your operations are suddenly thrown into darkness you and your employees are going to have a tough time finding your way around to check on things.

Many businesses have their own generators to provide a backup power source, but if yours doesn’t we recommend having a good supply of emergency lightsticks on hand at every work station. That way when the lights go out, which they inevitably will, you won’t be left in the dark.

To us at QuakeHOLD! Industrial there is no such thing as having too many lightsticks. It just makes sense to have a bunch ready to go when you need them.
They’re something that should automatically be included in every disaster kit that you have for your employees, which is why we put them in our emergency kits.

Emergency Power Station

Another option to consider is our Emergency Power Station (EPS). It’s a multi-function unit that includes a flashlight, AM/FM radio, cell phone charger, along with adaptors for the most popular brands of phones, and a personal alarm.

The EPS is conveniently sized so that it can be easily stored just about anywhere.
And here’s a tip, keep it handy in places where you spend most of your time i.e. the home, office and car.

Earthquake Preparedness Tips

Being prepared means a lot of things. Emergency kits ought to be high on the list and they should contain some form of emergency lighting for reasons outlined in this blog.

In the context of your business, being prepared also means securing equipment, desktop appliances and electronics, as well as making the workplace safer for your employees.
Our vast array of seismic protection products and services include equipment fastening, furniture straps and disaster kits to name just a few.

Get in touch with us to schedule a risk assessment of your premises.

As we’ve been reminding you over and over during the past few months, if you run a business in a seismically active zone, you need to become pro-active about earthquake preparedness and we suggest that you should start today.

Earthquake Preparedness Highlighted In New Zealand

The recent 7.0 earthquake in New Zealand should have taught us another lesson about the importance of earthquake preparedness. Many businesses were not prepared and as a result, equipment and office furniture that was unsecured was either damaged or lost for good.

Like a lot of people here in the USA, folks in Christchurch were rather blasé about the chances of a big earthquake disrupting their livelihoods, but they now know differently.

The damages bill from the temblor is around US$3 billion, so if there is one main lesson to be learned from the Christchurch quake, which was the biggest to hit New Zealand in almost 80 years, it is that securing equipment and office furniture should be a priority.

The technical term for it is non-structural seismic mitigation.

Seismic Protection Products & Services

An earthquake preparedness company that focuses on earthquake preparedness for businesses is just right to protect the business and employees from the earthquake disasters.

A company experienced in seismic bracing and has developed seismic protection systems that are recommended by federal and state agencies including the USGS, FEMA, the California Earthquake Authority and others will be give you exactly what you need in order to get your business going.

If earthquake safety isn’t already high on your list of priorities, it should be. The first place to start is to make a list of all the potential hazards in your business such as tall, top-heavy items of equipment, contents of your office, data centers, labs and so on.

If that seems a bit daunting, we can do it for you by conducting a risk assessment.

The idea is to secure items so that they won’t topple over. Imagine what would happen to your business if you lost your valuable equipment and data.
Our highly acclaimed seismic fastening programs include everything from warehouse seismic mitigation and lab equipment fastening to data center seismic mitigation and countertop fasteners.

Employee safety is another important thing you should be thinking about because securing those potential hazards will make for a safer environment for your workers. It will minimize the risk of injuries to them from falling objects.

As we’ve repeatedly reminded you during the past few months, if your business is based in an earthquake zone you shouldn’t procrastinate a moment longer about earthquake preparedness.

Emergency Kits

Be prepared with disaster supplies and emergency kits for businesses.

Different situations require different solutions and we’ve got you covered. The 10-person Site Safety Kit is specifically for the workplace. It contains enough emergency items to sustain up to 10 people for 72 hours.

There is also an Evacuation Kit for individuals. It’s designed for employees to keep at their work stations so they can quickly grab it if they need to evacuate their building. Each kit has enough food, water and other essentials in it for one person for 24 hours.

And there is the Pandemic Response Kit. It has been developed in response to the high level of concern over the spread of things like the Pandemic H1N1 Flu. This item provides protection for up to four people against the spread of germs, both on touchable surfaces and airborne.

Each one of the options we’ve been reviewing in this blog is an important part of earthquake preparedness

You may find more information about earthquake preparedness at http://www.quakeholdindustrial.com/

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH - EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

September is National Preparedness Month. It’s a time when we’re encouraged to not just think about being prepared for an emergency, but to actually do something about it and earthquake preparedness is one of the focal points.

In proclaiming National Preparedness Month, President Obama spoke of the need to strengthen the USA’s security and readiness for the full range of hazards that we face, including natural disasters, cyber attacks, pandemics and terrorist attacks.

The President said that by empowering people with information about the risks we face, we can take action to protect ourselves, our families and the country.

Among the many things that he said we can do is to prepare a family emergency plan, have emergency kits on hand and get involved in community preparedness efforts.

This advice is also very much applicable to the workplace.

Non-Structural Seismic Mitigation

Our focus this month, as always, is on earthquake preparedness as it relates to businesses. There are seven steps to earthquake safety. The first step is what’s technically known as non-structural seismic mitigation. What that means in layman’s terms is securing the contents of your office, data centers, labs and so on.

Tall, top-heavy pieces of equipment should be secured, along with other things around the office such as computers, TVs and file cabinets, so that they won’t topple over.

An earthquake can set you back big time or maybe even ruin your business altogether if you lose valuable equipment and data that isn’t secured.

Safety for your employees is another huge benefit from bracing equipment and office contents. Securing potential hazards results in a safer environment for your work force because it minimizes the risk of injuries to employees from falling objects.

If your business is located in an earthquake zone, you can’t afford to put off earthquake preparedness for one more day. If an earthquake were to strike tomorrow how would your business fare?

Disaster Supplies

Apart from securing all of your equipment, you should also be thinking about disaster supplies and emergency kits for your employees.

You can avail a variety of kits to meet different situations. There is a 10-person Site Safety Kit for the office and workplace. It contains emergency items to sustain up to 10 people for 72 hours.

Toy can also avail Evacuation Kits that are designed for individuals to take with them when they’re evacuated from office buildings. Each kit has enough food, water and other essential items in it for one person for 24 hours.

And there is the Survive-All Vest, a post disaster survival kit that’s a wearable vest. It contains a three-day supply of food and water for one person, plus a host of other emergency items. It is particularly useful for safety and facility managers. It is essential for earthquake preparedness.

Emergency Disaster Kits For Earthquake Preparedness

We had the privilege recently of being included in a National Preparedness Task Force town hall meeting in San Diego to talk about emergency preparedness and naturally earthquake preparedness was a big part of the discussion. In this article we will primarily discuss about the importance of emergency disaster kits

In a previous article we mentioned that federal and state agencies now encourage all of us to be self-sufficient for at least three days in the event of an emergency, natural or manmade, and a key aspect of that is having emergency disaster kits on hand.

The idea is to have three-day emergency disaster kits readily accessible in your home, office and car because you just never know where you will be when something happens such as an earthquake.

Being prepared is your best defense against earthquakes and making sure that you, your loved ones and your employees have survival kits and or disaster kits is part of the process of being prepared.

Emergency Disaster Kits

In our previous article we talked about the need to have a kit, so in this blog we’ll look at what should go into them.

When discussing emergency kits, the conversation can sometimes get bogged down in a debate about the contents of kits. What are the best items to have in them, should you put them together yourself, if so, where do you start, and if not, where do you get ones that are already assembled?

We’ve taken all the worry and stress out of the decision-making. We’ve done the research, sought advice from emergency preparedness experts and sourced the necessary items to develop a wide range of three-day kits to suit any situation.

While we had earthquakes in mind when we developed our kits, they’re also applicable to just about any other emergency situation including hurricanes, wildfires and floods. The one thing all of these natural disasters have in common is that they can be extremely disruptive to your normal everyday life.

In a very short space of time you can suddenly find yourself without electricity, food and water, and shelter and that’s where our emergency kits come into play.

Disaster Supplies Or Emergency Disaster Kits

The Grab ‘n Go kits contain the three basic essentials as recommended by the American Red Cross - food, water and a blanket.

The food and water is approved by the US Coast Guard and both have a five-year shelf life.

Other contents include First Aid kits, emergency lightsticks, ponchos, dust masks, nitrile gloves, eye goggles, leather work gloves, a multi-function Emergency Power Station (flashlight, AM/FM radio, cell phone charger and personal alarm), multi-function tool, tissues, duct tape and more.

You can easily find a variety of kits for different needs. There are one-person, two-person and four-person kits for the home and family. There are 10 and 20 person versions for the office and workplace situations along with pet evacuation kits.

How To Get An Emergency Disaster Kit

For individuals, the easiest way to get one of our kits is to go to a home improvement center. The big box stores up and down the West Coast carry them in the Hardware Department.

The two-person and four-person kits are available nationally in the online stores of Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Amazon and Overstock.

You can also get them from online stores, like we have one at www.readyamerica.com. Businesses can purchase disaster kits directly, which can be ordered as per the business requirement.

BUILDING CODES PART OF EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

Earthquakes around the world recently have shown the stark variation in building codes and the associated degree of damage in different countries. Building codes are a very significant aspect of Earthquake Preparedness although clearly not all countries put the same emphasis on them.

In the United States we have much stricter building codes than do some other countries that are also prone to earthquakes.

The rationale behind that is to minimize structural damage, but tougher codes also go hand in hand with non-structural seismic mitigation, which is one of the best ways to prevent a business from being knocked out of action after an earthquake.

Building Code

The California Building Code, for example, talks in part about non-structural items that require proper bracing.

Title 24 of the code states that movable items such as storage racks that are more than five feet tall must be seismically braced.
Permanent floor-supported items like cabinets and bookcases, including their contents, that are more than six feet in height should be restrained.

All equipment weighing more than 400 lbs and greater than four feet tall needs to be properly braced for lateral loads as recommended by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Seismic Mitigation

The first step to earthquake safety or earthquake preparedness is to identify potential hazards around the home or office and secure them.

Using the California Building Code as a guide, you will soon start to realize just how many items around your premises could be potentially hazardous if left unsecured.

The floor fasteners, countertop fasteners, data center seismic mitigation and laboratory fastening systems and many other will help you make your business a much safer place for you and your employees.

You can secure desktop computers and other electronics with computer monitor fastening kits, earthquake cabinet latches will stop doors from flying open in an earthquake, while table docking systems will keep tables and work stations from being dislodged from their positions in labs and other office space.

Securing your space plays a huge role in reducing the risk of your employees being injured by falling items.

Earthquake Preparedness Kits

The majority of our previous articles have focused on earthquake preparedness and why it should be a priority for businesses in earthquake zones, but something we haven’t discussed in detail is emergency kits.

Since Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast in 2005, the message from federal and state agencies has been that we all need to be self-sufficient for at least three days after any emergency such as a major earthquake.

The reason for that is because first responders may not be able to get to us within the first 72 hours depending of course on the severity of the emergency.

If you’re located in an active seismic zone then it makes even more sense to have emergency kits on hand and to store them where you spend most of your time i.e. home, office and car.

Okay, so you understand the home and office concept, but why the car too? The answer is because you never know where you will be when an earthquake strikes and if you’re on the road when it happens you could find yourself stranded for a prolonged period of time.

That’s why we have developed a variety of disaster kits for any situation.

Emergency Kits

The kits are designed to get you through at least 72 hours by providing disaster supplies that will help you survive.

There are individual survival kits, two-person kits and four-person kits, as well as 10 and 20 person kits for businesses and even pet evacuation kits because Fluffy and Fido are often as much a part of a family as a loved one.

All the basic essentials as recommended by the American Red Cross, plus added extras, are in every one of our kits. The food and water is approved by the US Coast Guard and has a five-year shelf life, there are first aid kits, safety lightsticks, emergency blankets, ponchos, dust masks, nitrile gloves and more.

Inside each kit there is a reminder card that you can mail to us so that six months prior to the expiration date of the food and water we will hit you up with a reminder that they need replacing.

Earthquake Preparedness at Work

As suggested above, if you own and operate a business in an earthquake zone it really behooves you to make sure that you and your employees are prepared for the possibility of an earthquake, and apart from securing all of your furniture and equipment, that means having survival kits on hand.

Being prepared is your best defense against earthquakes.

New Earthquake Preparedness Program Securing Business Completely

The earthquake preparedness experts from Quake Hold Industrial introduced special fastening equipment that will guarantee safety to the total business set-up.

The earthquake preparedness experts of Quake Hold Industrial have pioneered a state-of-the-art seismic fastening program for application in offices, data centers, labs and warehouses. Quake Hold Industrial has launched a wide variety of earthquake preparedness programs, so that each and every people can find exactly what they need in a way to protect their home and business from the hazards of earthquake.

The Earthquake Preparedness team from Quake Hold Industrial stated that what puts their fastening system head and shoulders above anything else is that it features flexible nylon straps. But what’s special about that? Well, flexible straps enable tall and top-heavy equipment or furniture to sway back and forth during an earthquake without crashing to the floor. The straps also act as shock absorbers to some degree as they can absorb some of the energy from a quake.

If, on the other hand, equipment or items of furniture are braced with metal brackets they could be ripped from the wall during shaking because metal is rigid and has no give in it, effectively defeating the purpose of securing the item in the first place. Therefore this special earthquake preparedness program will secure each and every furniture that can be a potential cause of injury during earthquakes.

Another unique feature as described by the earthquake preparedness team from Quake Hold Industrial is the Thumb Lock design in their seismic mitigation systems. This system consists of buckles and tear-proof locking straps with pre-cut holes.

The buckles attach to the item to be secured and to the surface using extra strength 3M adhesive and the straps lock in place inside the buckles.

The buckles can be moved and locked in either direction on the strap, providing unlimited adjustments for securing unusual sizes and shapes. The United States Navy has been using this system for years to secure valuable equipment on its fleet of vessels. The constant pitching and yawing of a ship is not dissimilar to the affects of an earthquake and can cause items to fly off shelves or topple over if not secured. Hence, the new earthquake preparedness program introduced by Quake Hold Industrial should ensure complete security to both home and business.

EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS NEEDED IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST

A trip to Washington State last month was a real eye-opener. What really jumped out at us was how much work still needs to be done on getting the earthquake preparedness message to people in the Pacific Northwest.

Amazingly, even though the area from Seattle south to Vancouver sits adjacent to the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a seismically active region, very few people there have done anything about being prepared. The people living there have not yet understood the value of earthquake preparedness.

And given that damage estimates were put as high as $4 billion from the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake in February 2001, we were astonished to find that folks in the Pacific Northwest have become rather blasé about the possibility of another big shaker rocking their part of the world. It is always said that precaution is better than cure hence people living in this zone should be educated about earthquake preparedness.

They seem to think that California is the only part of the West Coast where earthquakes pose a threat, yet the reality is that western Washington gets about a thousand earthquakes every year. Therefore, if your business is located in that part of the state, make sure you discuss about your earthquake safety with an earthquake preparedness specialist.

While not every temblor is going to be severe enough to cause extensive damage, the problem is that we just don’t know when the next big one will strike, so a word to the wise is be prepared because if you’re not, your business may not survive a big earthquake. So to protect the business and the employees from potential hazards of earthquake have an expert earthquake preparedness team organize and secure your home and office.

Unsecured tall, top-heavy pieces of equipment can easily topple over and crash to the floor, lab equipment can smash and data can be lost forever. Any one of these things can be a major setback for your business, but when combined they can put you out of business altogether.

The bottom line is that seismic activity is not uncommon in the Pacific Northwest, but the good news is that damage to or loss of equipment can be avoided by undertaking a non-structural seismic mitigation program. Contact an earthquake preparedness expert today to eliminate the unnecessary hazards.

Earthquake Preparedness Is Important But Why

The shaker in southern California was able to explain people why they need earthquake preparedness for both home and business.

Another shaker in southern California was exclusively for people who are still thinking whether or not to invest in earthquake preparedness. Probably this earthquake was successful enough to convince people living in the active earthquake zone that earthquake preparedness is absolutely a must for both business and home. The continuous effort to educate people about the importance of earthquake preparedness by Quake Hold Industrial has always been unique and worthwhile.

Borrego Springs was the latest spot to be rocked, this time by a 5.4 earthquake, which was felt as far away as Valencia, north of Los Angeles, out to LAX and all the way to the coast in San Diego.

USGS experts believe it was what’s known as a ‘triggered’ earthquake, a consequence of the Easter Sunday 7.2 quake in Mexicali, just over the California/Mexico border.

The Mexicali earthquake has caused an increase in activity along the San Jacinto and Elsinore fault lines, which are indirectly linked to the big daddy of them all the San Andreas Fault.

The point is any business located in the earthquake zone should take earthquake preparedness seriously before an earthquake jeopardizes the business.

What that entails is technically called non-structural seismic mitigation and what that actually means is securing top-heavy furniture, electronics, wall hangings and breakables around the home, as well as undertaking data center seismic mitigation, lab equipment fastening and warehouse seismic fastening at your place of business.

Quake HOLD! Industrial is now offering a free risk assessment session followed by appropriate planning to ensure security to the complete business.

Taking action before an earthquake hits is the best defense against potential damage or injury from a quake. Thus the expert earthquake preparedness team from Quake Hold Industrial is always at work innovating new ways to protect life and property.

EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS FALLS ON DEAF EARS

Addressing a business luncheon this week in San Diego, the focus of the presentation conducted by the earthquake preparedness team from Quake Hold Industrial was how to prepare for emergencies and in particular they honed in on the subject of earthquake preparedness.

The earthquake preparedness team conducted a random survey of those in attendance and what was clear was that most people still are not prepared to deal with an earthquake.

Despite repeated warnings by earthquake experts, as well as the recent rash of quakes in southern California, people continue to ignore the message.

For the past couple of months the earthquake preparedness experts at Quake Hold Industrial have been discussing how real the threat of earthquakes is and why it’s important for people to make sure their business is earthquake prepared.

Research has revealed that only 22% of Californians consider that they’re prepared in some way or other for an earthquake, while the majority of residents have done relatively little, if anything, about it. In San Diego it’s even worse with a mere 19% of residents having done anything to be earthquake prepared.

And given that scientists have found 50 new faults in California just this year alone, those statistics are quite alarming because everyone could potentially be looking at more seismic activity.

So, with new fault lines in addition to those that scientists already knew about and few people prepared now would be a good time to not just think about undertaking non-structural seismic mitigation, but actually doing it.

QuakeHOLD! Industrial is considered the leader in earthquake safety fastening. They have the all the necessary tools and knowledge exclusively required to secure office equipments with minimal or no interruption to the day-to-day operations.

It may sound like a broken record by repeating that being prepared is the best defense against earthquakes, but it really is. Damage to or loss of equipments and data, not to mention possible injuries to employees are not things that people generally want to experience.

And what about the business continuity? The time and money needed to get back on business after everything is knocked offline in an earthquake might be more than one can handle.

Quake HOLD Industrial with their earthquake preparedness experts have developed a highly recommended seismic fastening program for securing equipment in clean rooms, data centers, hospitals and warehouses, as well as in offices.

Earthquake Preparedness Team Encouraging Chilean To Undertake Seismic Mitigation

The earthquake preparedness team from QuakeHOLD! Industrial was in Chile in June in order to educate the mass about how to counteract massive earthquakes. The United States Department of Commerce, in conjunction with the Chilean government, established the Rebuild Chile Expo 2010 in response to the destructive February earthquake that shook the country.

The primary focus of the Expo was to address the many needs in Chile resulting from the magnitude 8.8 quake and to learn how to prepare for the next one because they now realize there will be more. The expert Earthquake Preparedness team from Quake Hold Industrial was present because they specialize in non-structural seismic mitigation, something that is now very much in demand in Chile. Data center seismic mitigation, lab equipment fastening and warehouse seismic fastening is all part of earthquake preparedness, thus businesses in Chile are now taking it much more seriously.

Since earthquakes are extremely unpredictable, so being prepared for them is the smartest thing one can do to make sure the business remains functional without risking injury to employees. Earthquake preparedness not only ensures protection to valuable possessions but also prevents loss or damage of data.

It has been observed that unsecured items are the potential hazards during an earthquake causing personal injury and even death. Therefore, equipment fastening is one of the primary services offered by Quake Hold Industrial. The earthquake preparedness team organized by Quake Hold Industrial encourages business to undertake seismic mitigation to avoid destruction.

TAKING THE THREAT OF EARTHQUAKES SERIOUSLY

Following on from our recent blogs about taking the threat of earthquakes more seriously and making your business more prepared, the spate of actual quakes around the place lately should be ramming home the point about the real need for earthquake preparedness.

The region along the California/Mexico border is a prime example.

Calexico on the US side and Mexicali on the Mexican side have been getting rocked continuously since the 7.2 earthquake struck the area on Easter Sunday.

Businesses there have been counting the costs of Mother Nature’s actions with billions of dollars of damage being done to their physical premises, not to mention to their business continuity.

That is precisely why we have been hammering the need for you to undertake non-structural seismic mitigation at your place of business. Ask yourself this – could your business sustain the hits that they’ve been dealing with in Calexico and Mexicali and continue to operate?

At QuakeHOLD! Industrial we specialize in data center seismic mitigation, lab equipment fastening and warehouse seismic fastening. It is where we live and we strongly encourage you to consider the benefits of instituting an earthquake preparedness plan.

Another question you should be asking yourself if you live in an earthquake zone is can you afford to ignore the earthquake threat?

Apart from fastening down all of your expensive equipment and securing your valuable data, also think about providing emergency kits or evacuation essentials kits for your employees.

Check out our website www.quakeholdindustrial.com/ for more information on survival kits and fastening options.

If you’ve been living in a state of denial, it’s time to move. Preparing your business for a major earthquake is relatively easy and affordable, so don’t leave things to chance.

Being prepared is your best defense against earthquakes.