QuakePrepare

Storm Warnings

Larry Guillot — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:46:47 +0000

Storm Warnings

A big storm in northern California can knock out power to many thousand PG&E customers.

Let’s take this as a very small warning as to what things could be like after a serious quake. The number of homes without power will be huge, and not just scattered neighborhoods here and there.

We’ve all been without power for 24 hours or more. Think no utilities for a week (or two), no electric, no water, no sewer, no telephone. Are you ready for that? You can be – just make your list and check things off, one by one.

What does my QuakeConsult cover? Seehttp://www.sfgate.com/living/article/Quake-preparedness-consultant-seeks-to-save-homes-2437241.php

NOTE: We’re coming up on the 107th anniversary (4-18-13) of the Great Quake of 1906. To commemorate this, I’m offering a discount to the first 10 homeowners who schedule their consult by April 18th: instead of $275, the price for these folks will be $225. If you refer someone else to me whom I can schedule on the same day, the price will be $195 for each. These slots will go quickly, so don’t put it off!

Feel free to forward this Tip to three friends!

Be safe.

Larry Guillot

www.QuakePrepare.com

707-965-3299

email: larry@quakeprepare.com

Retrofits: I’m Bolted, I’m OK?

Larry Guillot — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 01:33:32 +0000

Earthquake Preparedness Issue:

I’m Bolted, I’m OK?

I hear from way too many folks who have looked in their crawl space, seen some bolts connecting their “mud sill” to their foundation, and think “Oh, good, my foundation is bolted, I’ve got a retrofit.”

A “bolted foundation” is NOT a retrofit. It is an essential ingredient of a retrofit, yes, but there is another ingredient (transfer ties) and very often a third (shear panels) which are also essential.

If your foundation is bolted, it just means that the mud sill will probably stay put during a serious quake. The house, however, could very easily fall off the foundation. All three things must be done correctly, and all too often they are not.

Be sure – have your retrofit checked (it may be incomplete or even incorrect). You can choose:

A licensed contractor, who may or may not know what they are doing (and have a financial interest in the outcome); or
A structural engineer: some won’t even crawl under a house, and those that do, I’m told, charge $400 and up; or
Larry Guillot of QuakePrepare. I’m the only earthquake preparedness expert who does in-home consultations. The consult covers an assessment of your home’s attachment to the foundation, but also much, much more. Click on my website below. Also check out the SF Chronicle article on my consultations: http://tinyurl.com/88gdgk7

Feel free to forward this Tip to three friends!

Be safe.

-Larry

QuakePrepare
Larry Guillot
707-965-3299
http://www.quakeprepare.com

email: larry@quakeprepare.com

A surprise about food & water

Larry Guillot — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:47:20 +0000

Time To Change Your Thinking

It used to be that the Red Cross and other disaster preparedness groups told us to have enough food and water for 3 days. Then it evolved to a week.

Now we see the Red Cross recommending enough food & water for 2 weeks. If you think about our recent disasters, this really makes sense. For more info on food & water, visit my other blog post: http://quakeprepare.com/2012/06/how-much-food-and-water/

There’s only one quake preparedness expert who does in-home consultations: yours truly. Not sure you need one? Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/88gdgk7

YES, feel free to forward this article to three friends!

Be safe.

Larry Guillot

www.QuakePrepare.com

707-965-3299

email: larry@quakeprepare.com

Earthquake Preparedness Checklist – Stuff You Need

Larry Guillot — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 01:12:59 +0000

Check out this link to the Red Cross suggestions (paste into address bar): http://tinyurl.com/a7nps4s

1. Have water for at least two weeks: experts say between 1-2 gallons per person per day. Water from the grocery store must be used within a few months. The most practical way is to buy a 55 gallon water barrel. Some local stores that have them:

Your Safety Place, 290 Lindbergh Ave, Livermore. 925-829-0350. $130 includes hand pump, bung wrench, and water preserver concentrate.
Costco has them on line: http://tinyurl.com/93bsff4 $120 delivered, including pump & bung wrench
Earthquake Supply Center, 3095 Kerner Blvd, Ste I, San Rafael. 415-459-5500. $90 for barrel, $16 for bung wrench.

Before you fill the barrel, put in 1 oz of plain bleach – water can be good for (conservatively) a year. No need to buy a hand pump to get the water out, just go to a hardware store & get about 8’ of ½” clear plastic tubing. Wrap it up, put in a zip-lock bag, and tape it to the top of the barrel.

2. Have food for minimum of two weeks

● the down side to canned goods is that they have a relatively short shelf life, exceptions being products like Spam & Dinty Moore stew (Hormel products), which will last indefinitely in a cool place.

● one possibility is Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) which are used by the military, but also available to the public. Typical shelf life is 8-10 years. If you Google “MREs,” you will find a number of vendors.

● another possibility is freeze-dried meals, which places like REI & Costco carry, and, of course, they are on-line as well. Mountain House pouches have about a 7 year shelf life; their #10 cans have 25+ year shelf life.

3. Car Kits: Make sure you have backpack emergency kits in every car. You could be miles away when a big quake hits and it’s estimated 1,400 roads and streets in SF east bay will be closed. You’ll be walking. Have a good pair of walking shoes in your trunk as well.

4. Have a Plan: If there are other people in your household, make sure you at least discuss a possible plan as to what you’re going to do if one is away from the house when a quake hits. Walk home? Walk somewhere else? Walk to a shelter? Stay at your office?

Feel free to forward this post to three of your friends.

-Larry

QuakePrepare
Larry Guillot
707-965-3299
http://www.quakeprepare.com

email: larry@quakeprepare.com

55 Gallon Water Barrel From Costco

Larry Guillot — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:59:25 +0000

Costco now carries a 55 gallon water barrel on their web site. It comes with a pump and a bung wrench to open the caps on top. Their price, as of October 2012 is $119.99, which includes delivery. Here’s a link to the Costco web page showing the barrel: http://tinyurl.com/93bsff4 Better yet, shop with locally-owned businesses:

* Your Safety Place, 290 Lindbergh Ave, Livermore, 925-829-0350. $130, includes hand pump, bung wrench, and water preserver. Shop on-line at http://www.YourSafetyPlace.com

* Earthquake Supply Center, 3095 Kerner Blvd Suite I, San Rafael, (415) 459-5500. $90 for barrel, $16 for bung wrench.

* Best Safety Products, 5707 Redwood Road #12, Oakland, 510-530-2378. $70 for barrel, $20 for pump, $10 for bung wrench.

To preserve the water for at least a year, add 1 oz of plain, unscented bleach before filling.

Feel free to forward this post to three of your friends.

Be safe!

-Larry

QuakePrepare
Larry Guillot
707-965-3299
http://www.quakeprepare.com

email: larry@quakeprepare.com

Cabinet Latches For Earthquake Preparedness

Larry Guillot — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:27:08 +0000

If we’ve done a QuakeConsult in your home, you’ve seen my sample cabinet latch – the one we typically use when we are securing cabinets for people. I’ve found a good source for them, and wanted to pass it on to everyone. Click here: Woodworker’s Hardware

Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.

Be safe.

-Larry

QuakePrepare
Larry Guillot
707-965-3299
http://www.quakeprepare.com

email: larry@quakeprepare.com

Earthquake Preparedness Not So Difficult

Larry Guillot — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:33:18 +0000

Earthquake Preparedness: Don’t Be Frozen By Fear!

In a past QuakeTip, I reminded our readers that the difference between a 4.0 quakelet and a 7.0 major quake was huge. One reader chastised me for scaring her.

Believe it or not, my purpose is not to scare you, but to wake you up. It’s no secret that the SF Bay area is sound asleep when it comes to earthquake preparation. A few fairly simple steps can go a long way in protecting you, your family, and your home.

The wake-up call goes like this: have your retrofit checked, get an automatic gas shut-off valve installed, secure your heavy furniture, and assemble emergency kits for home, car, and office.

Don’t let fear or anxiety keep you frozen – just make a check list of things to do and then do them, one by one.

Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.

Be safe!

-Larry

QuakePrepare
Larry Guillot
707-965-3299
http://www.quakeprepare.com

email: larry@quakeprepare.com

Automatic Gas Shut-off Valves

Larry Guillot — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:07:28 +0000

An automatic gas shut-off valve is a mechanism that can be installed on the house side of your gas meter. It is designed to cut the flow of gas to your home in the event of an earthquake. In previous quakes in California, gas lines to appliances snapped, gas built up in the house, and the resulting fire destroyed many homes.

There are plenty of people who have decided against having one installed, thinking that, if they smell gas after a serious quake, they can just turn off the gas themselves at the main shut-off valve near their meter.

No problem: if you can guarantee somebody will be home at the time of the quake. However, if the quake hits when everyone’s at work, or on an outing, or just gone from home, you may regret not having one.

The valves are activated by serious shaking (5.2 or worse), and are easy to re-set.

We currently use the Little Firefighter valve, as well as the one made by ASSI.

Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.

Be safe!

-Larry

QuakePrepare
Larry Guillot
707-965-3299
http://www.quakeprepare.com

The Quake Hits – Now What?

Larry Guillot — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:04:29 +0000

A major earthquake will cause violent ground shaking and it may be impossible to stand up. Most injuries result from falling or flying objects, but you can also be hurt just by being thrown to the floor. At the first sign of shaking, take cover and protect yourself from falling objects.

When the shaking starts, get to the safest place with the least amount of moving around possible. Many injuries occur when people try to move about their house. This is why it’s so important to know the safest place to be in each room of the house.

After the quake, check for gas or water leaks, broken electrical wiring, or sewage lines. If there is damage, turn the utility off at the source. Turn on your portable radio for emergency instructions and news reports.

Be prepared for aftershocks: we can count on there being some. Check on your neighbors, especially those who are elderly or mobility impaired. If you have to evacuate, leave a message for family members and others letting them know where you can be found. Don’t use your vehicle unless you have to: many roads will be impassable due to falling power lines, trees, and debris.

My in-home consultation covers the safest place to be when a big quake hits, and much, much more, Se my home page: www.quakeprepare.com

Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.

Be safe!

-Larry

QuakePrepare
Larry Guillot
707-965-3299
http://www.quakeprepare.com

How Much Food and Water?

Larry Guillot — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 22:06:24 +0000

If you’re someone who wants to be prepared for the major quake in our future, you’ve probably done something about having food and water available for you and your family. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Most disaster preparedness groups agree that we should have a minimum of a weeks worth of food and water (1-2 gallons per person per day).

2. I’ve never seen an emergency kit (including ours) that has enough food or water. You really need to supplement the kits.

3. The best plan for water is a 55 gallon barrel with a siphon, which you treat with bleach so it will last at least 3 years.

4. Have plenty of canned foods, which need to be regularly used and replaced.

5. Alternatives to grocery store canned food are: MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), similar to the military products (available on-line) and freeze-dried meals, available on-line and from Costco & REI.

My QuakeConsult covers many things, including an evaluation of how well your house is seismically attached to the foundation (houses not correctly retrofitted can fall off the foundation in a big quake).

If you can find a structural engineer who is willing to crawl under you house, you are looking at a minimum of $400. My consult is still $245 and covers many other things (see my website).

Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.

Be safe.

Larry Guillot

www.QuakePrepare.com

707-965-3299

larry@quakeprepare.com