20 Precautions You Can Take Against an Earthquake

Earthquakes are among the inevitable natural disasters. The inability to predict when earthquakes will occur requires everyone to always be prepared. During the earthquake preparation phase, important steps such as carrying out endurance tests on all buildings, preparing earthquake bags and completing insurance procedures must be taken. Carrying out the earthquake preparedness process under the supervision of experts is also of great importance in terms of performing the procedures correctly.

1. Check Building's Earthquake Resistance Level

“What are the precautions to be taken against earthquakes?” Among the answers to the question, building control procedures are in the first place. It is of great importance to inspect the columns and walls of all buildings, to examine whether they are earthquake resistant, to identify the buildings that can collapse in a possible earthquake and to take the necessary precautions.

2. Soil Investigation Operations

Among the factors that determine whether buildings will be damaged in an earthquake is the strength of the ground. You can find out if the building is safe and take precautions against a possible collapse by having the floor of the building done by authorized institutions.

3. Take Advantage of Urban Transformation Opportunities

Urban transformation processes carried out all over Turkey ensure that buildings that are not resistant to earthquakes are demolished and replaced with safe buildings. If it is determined that the building is not earthquake resistant, you can move to a safer building by taking advantage of urban transformation opportunities.

4. Strengthen Your Columns and Walls

Although some buildings are generally found to be earthquake resistant, the weaknesses detected in columns and walls increase the risk of collapse. If you live in this type of building, you can choose processes that will strengthen the column and wall sections and increase the durability level of the building.

5. Fix Your Items To The Walls

A significant proportion of injuries and casualties during an earthquake are due to the overturning of unsecured items. By fixing large-sized items such as coat racks, wardrobes, bookshelves, refrigerators to the walls, you can prevent them from falling over and increase your security level in case of a possible earthquake.

6. Use Hooks On Your Chandeliers

Home accidents that can occur during an earthquake include falling chandeliers that are not firmly placed. By fixing your chandeliers with strong hooks, you can prevent them from falling during an earthquake and protect yourself from the negative effects of chandelier pieces scattered around.

7.Identify Life Triangles

Even if the buildings collapse in the earthquake, the chances of surviving the earthquake victims who form a life triangle can be extremely high. For this reason, it is of great importance that you learn the concept of the life triangle and determine the areas of the life triangle that you can create in your home, in order to get out of the earthquake in a healthy way.

8. Practice Regularly

Earthquake is among the natural disasters that strike suddenly and cause a strong panic to people with its frightening effect. Therefore, pre-studying the actions to be taken in the event of an earthquake reduces the mistakes to be made with panic. You can do earthquake drills with your family at regular intervals, study the steps to be taken in an earthquake, and thus meet the earthquake in a more prepared way.

9. Prepare Your Earthquake Bag

An earthquake kit is one of the most important measures to be taken against an earthquake. You can store enough food, drink, first aid supplies, medicine and communication equipment in your earthquake bag, which you can use in case you are under the debris, and you can take your earthquake bag with you in the triangle of life you will create.

10. Update Your Earthquake Bag Regularly

Preparing your earthquake bag once may not be enough to protect yourself from an earthquake. The food, drink and medicines in the bag can go stale or spoil over time. Therefore, it is recommended to replace the perishable products in unused earthquake bags with fresh ones at least every six months.

11. Raise Your Children's Awareness Against Earthquakes

Earthquakes can happen at night when everyone is asleep or when children are alone at home. For this reason, it is of great importance for the safety of children who are caught alone in an earthquake to teach children in detail everything they need to do in the event of an earthquake.

12. Beware of Fire Suppression System

Earthquakes can damage electrical and gas installations, causing fires in buildings. By contacting the management, you can have a fire extinguishing system installed in the building that is accessible to everyone so that you can easily respond to the fire immediately.

13. Automate Your Fuses and Valves

You can make electrical fuses and gas valves earthquake sensitive and automatic, and cut off the electricity and gas flow as soon as possible so that gas and electrical systems do not pose a danger in case of an earthquake.

14. Use Alarm Systems

Nocturnal earthquakes can catch many people asleep, which can delay emergency procedures. By installing an earthquake sensitive alarm system in your building and home, you can make everyone aware of the earthquake as soon as possible.

15. Create 15 Emergency Exit Doors

Research and rescue officials claim that trying to get out of the building during the earthquake increases the loss of life and recommends that everyone stay in the triangle of life until the earthquake is over. If the building has not collapsed after the earthquake is over, it is recommended to evacuate the building as soon as possible by exiting the emergency exit doors. Therefore, creating emergency exit doors in the building and keeping these exits always lit helps to protect against earthquakes.

16. Find Out The Gathering Areas Nearest To You

If the building was evacuated after the earthquake, you need to go to the nearest assembly area without wasting time. By examining the disaster assembly areas around your house and learning their locations, it helps you to act quickly after the earthquake.

17. Identify Emergency Scenarios

In earthquakes, some of the family members may be out of the house and communication may not be possible if the telephone lines are locked. In such cases, you can determine emergency scenarios, meeting places and communication methods to bring all members of the family together as soon as possible. You can regularly update the emergency scenarios according to the seasons.

18. Keep Your Important Documents and Money Safe

Buildings may be damaged after an earthquake, and in this case, it may be extremely difficult for you to return after evacuating your home. In order to avoid financial loss, it is of great importance that you take your important documents, money and jewelry with you when you leave the house. You can keep your documents, savings and valuables in a place close to the door where you can easily get them, and take them with you at the time of evacuation.

19. Get Earthquake Insurance
The most important measure that can be taken against earthquakes is TCIP, which is a compulsory earthquake insurance. By taking out TCIP Insurance, you can collect a significant portion of the material damage that the earthquake may cause in your living space from the insurance company.

20. Benefit From Home Insurance

Compulsory earthquake insurance covers only the damages to the basic equipment of the houses. It is recommended to choose housing insurance options to cover the damages that may occur to the belongings of the house.