Home & Garden Columns

How’s Your Earthquake Knowledge ? (Part 2) 

Rate yourself: Are the following statements true, or false? 

1. In an earthquake, a home built on bedrock will suffer more, since the rock will transfer the shaking. Conversely, a home on soft soils will fare better, since the soft soil “deadens” the shaking.  

2. At home during a serious quake, go quickly to the safest room in the house. 

3. In general, a doorway is the safest place to be in a quake.  

4. East Bay city building codes (especially since 1990) address seismic retrofitting as a special section of the code. 

5. After a quake, grants from FEMA to homeowners will cover a maximum of $50,000 for damage not covered by any insurance.  

The answer to each of the above is “false.” 

1. The situation is just the opposite.  

2. The less moving around you do the better. The house is shaking! 

3. You can be seriously injured by a swinging door. 

4. No retrofit code has been adopted by any city in the Bay Area. 

5. You can’t get a FEMA grant unless you don’t qualify for a loan. The average grant is less than $15,000. All the more reason to have your seismic retrofit checked! 

Larry Guillot is owner of QuakePrepare, an earthquake consulting, securing, and kit supply service. Call him at 558-3299, or visit www.quakeprepare.com.