Stay calm. Help others if you are able to.
- Prepare yourself for aftershocks.
- Listen to the radio or television to know the instructions given by emergency services officials and respect them.
- Put back in place telephone receivers in their cradles; only use the phone if you need emergency services.
- Put on sturdy shoes and protection clothes to avoid injuries caused by debris, particularly broken glass.
- Verify if your house got its structure damaged or if it shows other dangers. If you suspect it might not be safe, don’t enter it.
- If you have to leave your house, bring an emergency kit and other essential items with you. Put a visible sign, giving the location where you can be found. Don’t waste food and water, since as supplies might be interrupted.
- Do not light matches or turn on lights until you are sure there are no gas leaks or flammable liquids around. Use a flashlight to check utilities, and do not turn them off unless they are damaged. Gas leak give out a certain smell.
- If you still have tap water in sinks immediately after an earthquake, fill up the bath and other containers in case supplies would run out. If there’s no tap water, remember that you can take water from the hot water tank (make sure the water isn’t hot before touching it) and in the toilet reservoir (not the bowl).
- Do not flush the toilet if you suspect sewer pipes to be damaged.
- Carefully clean up all dangerous material that have been spilled. Wear gloves and appropriate protection glasses.
- After making sure members of your household are secure, look after your neighbors. Organize rescue measures if people are stuck under rubbles or call emergency services if you can’t help them out without putting your own life at risk.
- If you own pets, try to find and comfort them.
- If you need help, indicate it by placing a sign if your window saying "HELP" in big letters.
- Watch out for secondary effects. Even if earthquakes are the main source of damages, secondary effects can also be very destructive. These secondary effects are landslides, saturated sandy soils becoming liquid, flooding of lowlands areas and tsunamis hitting coasts.
