It is important to acknowledge risks within or near the house and taking necessary precautions to diminish them during the preparation stage. Remember: anything can move, fall or break during an earthquake and secondary tremors.
Suggestions to decrease risks:

Rooms inside the house

These are some of the most common risks in each room:
•    Windows and glass that might break.
•    Bookcases, cabinets, refrigerators, radiators and any furniture that might fall over. Place the heavy items in the lower parts of bookcases and closets.
•    Radiators, chimneys, chimney shafts and stoves.
•    Areas that might be blocked by rubble.

Anchor the furniture

•    Anchor heavy furniture with resistant cables or metallic frames.
•    Installing flexible gas piping will reduce the possibility of a fire after an earthquake considerably.
•    Fasten air conditioning devices (especially those installed on the roofs).

In general, water heaters weigh 200 kilos when full. During an earthquake, the floor under them moves and may cause tank to become detached. The movement may also burst gas pipelines, water pipelines and electrical cables (which is a shock risk). Tying the tank to the wall may reduce its risk of falling over.

Bathroom objects

Replace glass bottles with plastic containers.

Hanging or high objects
•    Fasten ceiling lights (especially chandeliers).
•    Remove mirror and pictures from the bead headboards or on chairs or any place that someone might be sitting or sleeping in; use a cable to fasten them firmly to a wall.
•    If your plants or lamps might touch a window when swaying, move them a little and, if possible, replace heavy plant pots (e.g. ceramic) with pots made of plastic or any other light material.

Dangerous chemical products

Check for poisons, solvents or any toxic material in breakable containers and store them in a well-ventilated area. Move them away from water containers and place them out of the reach of children and pets.

Inspect your home’s structure

If your house was built with a wooden structure, you will probably survive an earthquake, especially if it is a single story. For more information about safety standards and companies authorized for structural repairs call your local government agency.

The following suggestions pose an important time and money investment but will add stability to your home. If you perform the repairs by yourself and any doubts arise, you can seek assistance in a hardware store.

Foundations, beams, posts and plates

Verify that your home and garage are well attached to the foundations. If your home was built before 1950, it may not have screws foxing the wood to the concrete.

Reinforce the areas where beams, posts, joints and plates are connected. Pay special attention to more vulnerable areas in garages, basements, porches and patio roofs.

Ceiling and chimney

Loose bricks may fall on someone during an earthquake. Fix them if necessary. It is good to reinforce the ceiling in the area next to the chimney shaft to prevent loose bricks from falling into the house.

Learn how to shut off gas, power and water supplies

Locate main gas, power and water outlets. When in doubt, you may call an agency that offers this service. Teach the rest of the family where said outlets are located and when they must be shut down.

Gas

•    There is an automatic valve in the market (Earthquake Command System) that instantly shuts down gas during an earthquake.
•    Do not use matches, lighters or stoves after an earthquake and do not use light switches until the absence of gas leaks is certain. The spark produced in the lighter may generate an explosion.
•    If you perceive a gas odor or if your gas meter is registering elevated consumption immediately shut off the main valve (usually located next to the meter).

Electricity

After a catastrophe, shut off electricity from the main switch. Sparks in the light switches are, as mentioned before, a fire hazard.

Water

Water can be shut off in two places:
•    At the valve next to the meter that controls water flow for the entire house. 
•    In the external valve that supplies water to your home. (If the water supply is close here, it interrupts supply for your water heater; in case of an emergency this water may be needed).

Install a special valve to shut off water supply in an accessible location (this valve may be purchased at any hardware store). Place labels indicating the direction of the different pipelines. There is an automatic valve in the market (Earthquake Command System) that instantly shuts down gas during an earthquake.