Today we had an earthquake….the epicenter was about 17 miles from my house. It was the first big one in a while. And then we had about 100 aftershocks:
*I’ll take an earthquake any day over a psycho shark. I do not like sharks.
Every time there is an earthquake it takes a few seconds for it to register that it might be an earthquake. It usually sounds like a big truck is coming down the road….and sometimes it IS a big truck coming down the road…..so it usually takes another few seconds for me to figure out if it’s a truck or actually an earthquake. I can usually tell for sure by looking out at the pool….if the water is making waves….it was an earthquake.
When the earthquake hit this morning, Lisa and I just stared at each other and then I think both of us said at the same time “what do we do?” By the time we decided that we should run outside the earthquake was over.
I’ve prepared pretty well (thanks to my master list I made a few years ago): tall furniture is bolted to the wall, a master earthquake kit, etc. But I always have a panic attack after an earthquake that I can’t remember how to turn the natural gas off in the event of a leak. So I printed it out tonight from the SoCal Natural Gas site:
click the image to visit the full instructions:
A few good resources:
What to do before, during and after an earthquake
Welcome to Earthquake Country!
A very informative science/preparedness download
Boo said her teacher had all of the kids get under their desk right when she realized there was an earthquake. I asked her if it was scary and Boo replied:
No…it was awesome!
She’s right. Earthquakes are awesome….when they are small. It means the earth is relieving pressure.
I was outside in my front yard when it hit. Just like you said, I totally thought it was a big truck, but there is that moment when you think “Is that a truck? Or is that an earthquake?” And by the time you’ve finished that thought, you generally have your answer. This was the first time I was actually in my front yard, and actually *looked* for a truck.
Wait. Relieving pressure? That’s the first time I heard of this! Is it bad that it made me think that Earthquakes=Earth farts? lol.
I think they might be!
I totally thought the same thing when I read it! 🙂
Great information Ashley! Make sure you test your gas meter valve. We bought a new shut off wrench and when my husband tested it per the instructions that came with the wrench, it turned out the valve was frozen so I contacted PG&E (I’m in Northern CA) and they changed out the entire meter for free.
I would have no idea what to do if an earthquake ever hit where I live! I live in Texas, so I really have no need to worry about that! 🙂 Thank goodness! But I do have to be prepared for tornados! It’s about that time of year again! Thanks for making me smile today! 🙂
I was 5 during the massive 1989 earthquake that hit nor cal. I remember being at the top of a 2-story playhouse my dad built me and looking over the edge and watching our fruit trees roll up and down like seaweed in waves. My house was only 3 miles from the epicenter in Aptos too! Awesomely scary!
2 years ago we had a big earthquake here in Japan,we already know what to do in an earthquake, but the fear is impossible to avoid, i was shivering under a table with my baby in arms, watching falling all around me. Japan is still shaking and I guess will continue shaking. For me, the earthquake was the worst thing that had experienced but for others it was the tsunami, radioactivity …Maybe its just a considence, march 11, 2 years ago…
Scary! As long as no one was hurt. A Canadian Prairie Girl 🙂
I too pick earthquakes over sharks!
You DON’T want to run outside near brick houses in an earthquake.
Bricks can fly, and that can be fatal.
In brick houses, you want to get under a table on your knees, bent over, hands and arms covered your face and neck– face down.
So glad you all are safe and that Boo thought it was awesome!
Growing up in Anaheim and then Reseda/Northridge, CA but now living in Madison, AL I can tell you I much prefer earthquakes to tornados!
With earthquakes you don’t know their coming until they are there and then you deal with it but with tornados there is this panic about whether or not one is headed for you and whether or not to seek shelter – we always err on the side of caution but you still wonder and worry! we were lucky and only suffered minor damage on April 27,2011 but several friends, church members and co-workers had severe damage and losses – our local sirens didn’t sound and we watched the tornado moving across the area from our front porch – just a mile from where we were standing – causing destruction that almost 2 years later is still evident – look up April 27, 2011 Harvest, AL… scary pictures…
when we lived in CA my dad had the instructions for the gas laminated, grommeted and wire tied to both the gas meter and the tool so that it was always available. as Catherine R said it is important to check the valve – it was on dad’s spring/fall cleanup checklists
I LIVE IN KS…TORNADO ALLEY..BUT HAVE EXPERIENCED QUAKES FROM FRACKING GOING ON IN SEARCH OF OIL…..PROBABLY MINOR QUAKES COMPARED TO ACTUAL QUAKES…BUT STILL UN-NERVING
We don’t feel many in my little part of Canada. I was outside during our last one, people came outside to ask if we felt it. The group I was with thought they were nuts…until I started seeing it coming in on Twitter (gotta believe Twitter!). Oddly enough…we also had a tornado come through that day! I was safe and sound for both, but a little scary.
When we lived in Nevada years ago we had a major earthquake hit while we were at church. Apparently my then 4 year old was saying a prayer in front of his class when the quake hit. His teacher said he just kept praying (the other children were knocked off their chairs) and when he was done praying he opened his eyes and said, “Wow, I did such a good prayer I made the earth shake and made you fall off your chair!” He was so proud of himself. Still makes me laugh.
A local boyscout for his Eagle project had a company donate hundreds of gas valve shut-off tools, he then passed them out to most of the houses in our part of the city along with laminated instructions for use and zip-ties so they could be attached to the meter. I thought it was a brilliant idea for an Eagle Project!
I’m just south of Seattle. I’ve lived here almost 8 years. I’ve only felt one tiny jolt when I first moved out here, it was like a small bouncing jolt. But we supposedly get little ones a lot. The t.v. my husband had when we met had a huge crack in the case because of the Nisqually quake from a few years before. Glad I missed it. But yeah- I’ll take an earthquake over a shark. We are prepared for an earthquake, when the Japan quake hit, it really freaked me out. We got earthquake insurance and made out a preparedness plan. What to do if DH is at work, the pets, and yes- we got a wrench for the gas meter.
In NC, I ‘ve on ly been in one earthquake (just a year or so ago) while I was at work. By the time we figured out what it was, it was over. Glad yours was small!
Laurie
Lulu and Daisy
I can’t even imagine what an earthquake is like, I think I only know one person who has ever experienced one!
Great link to the So Cal gas–thanks! And your earthquake antics crack me up. My boys thought it was AWESOME too. Kids…seriously! My biggest fear is the remote possibility of soil liquifaction…being sucked into a giant quicksand sinkhole. You can thank me later for the terrifying imagery. : -) Of all the things to be worried about, right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_liquefaction
Living on the Virginia coast line I pretty much accepted that I would never get to experience an earthquake unless it happened while vacationing else where. All that changed August of 2011… ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Virginia_earthquake ) It was the craziest thing ever…. At first I thought it was a large truck… then I posted it on facebook and all my friends were posting about it too…. Crazy! LOL