Matt Springer has been giving presentations around San Francisco about home earthquake preparedness since 2008 (for more information about the presentation, go to his earthquake preparedness website). For those who cannot attend in person, a streaming version of the presentation is available online. This Quaketips blog is devoted to posts ranging from technical "how-to" articles to more philosophical "should-you" topics. New articles will be posted at most about once a month, so people who subscribe won't be subjected to lots of e-mail.

The suggestions contained in this website and in Matt Springer's presentations will substantially reduce the chances of an earthquake causing damage or injury, but cannot guarantee that problems will not still occur due to factors including but not limited to extreme seismic conditions, unexpected structural problems, bracing material flaws, or inadequate installation. This material is based on personal experience, research, and discussion with safety experts; Matt Springer does not have an official emergency management background other than standard community volunteer training. The information contained herein does not necessarily reflect the views of UCSF or the San Francisco Public Library.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

An index of topics so far, broken down by category

This blog has been around for almost 4 years now, and it occurred to me that now at the beginning of a new year would be a good time to pause and provide a helpful index of what articles have been written about several broad categories of topics.  It's probably my least imaginative post ever, but hopefully is one of the most useful posts.  I'll try to keep this index visibly accessible even after regular articles have resumed, one way or another.  (4/25/15 update: a current version of this index is now accessible directly at the top of the blog.)


During and after a quake:

3/31/11
Important information about the recurring "Triangle of Life" e-mail spam
7/9/11
Should I stay or should I go?...the inevitable dilemma about staying in the building during an earthquake
2/8/12
Double feature Part II: Can I get a fire hose to use after a quake if my house is burning down and the fire department is not coming?
5/7/13
Should I turn my gas off after an earthquake? Don't guess about gas...


Emergency lighting and batteries:

2/2/14
Don’t be left in the dark: which kinds of power failure back-up lights work best in an earthquake?
6/28/14
Choosing the right kinds of batteries for your emergency supplies in the 21st Century
11/11/14
A simple way to keep your flashlight within reach if your bedroom is shaking


Emergency food and water:

5/24/11
Your MREs (emergency rations) are good for up to 10 years--or are they?? An update...
7/1/13
Does bottled water really expire? The FDA says no!
10/7/13
MRE shelf-life follow-up: Ever wonder what a 14-year-old MRE tastes like?
11/29/13
The ethical dilemma of being prepared when other people aren't
8/19/14
Most people don’t know about San Francisco’s emergency drinking water hydrants, but it’s probably just as well...
10/16/14
Can you use a portable camping water filter to safely drink tap water after an earthquake in case your emergency water is gone? (Spoiler alert: the answer is no.)


Emergency kits:

12/22/11
Where should I keep that emergency kit?
1/8/13
Big emergency kit for home, little emergency kits for work and car


Tips for bracing and fastening:

4/18/11
An amazing story from the past, AND more about hanging pictures that won’t come crashing down (the wired and non-wired varieties)
9/7/11
“Be sure to bolt your furniture bracing straps to a wall stud”…ok, now for the other 95% of the population who doesn’t know how to find a wall stud:
2/8/12
Double feature Part I: If you install a closet organizer system, don’t skimp on that last screw.
4/15/12
Do I really have to stick down EVERYTHING? What about my TV remote?
8/2/12
At last, helpful hints on installing push-latches for cabinets!
4/27/14
20 things you can do with quake putty – and helpful hints for Quakehold Gel


Product evaluations and recommendations:

2/2/14
Don’t be left in the dark: which kinds of power failure back-up lights work best in an earthquake?
6/28/14
Choosing the right kinds of batteries for your emergency supplies in the 21st Century
10/16/14
Can you use a portable camping water filter to safely drink tap water after an earthquake in case your emergency water is gone? (Spoiler alert: the answer is no.)


General earthquake safety considerations:

4/2/11
Special considerations for pets
10/23/11
Small quakes: Good or bad for geology and psychology?
6/17/12
Experience an earthquake! And then go see the ostrich chicks and have lunch.
11/10/12
Earthquake safety at work is good medicine
8/24/14
Reflections on the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest earthquake since 1989
12/19/14
A burning question: what happens to unattended holiday/memorial candles in an earthquake?


Earthquake history:

3/31/11
"Why the heck do you live in that place with earthquakes??"
4/18/11
An amazing story from the past, AND more about hanging pictures that won’t come crashing down (the wired and non-wired varieties)
5/14/12
A personal account from the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
9/2/13
The new Bay Bridge opened today: A Loma Prieta earthquake repair 24 years in the making


Other ways to be prepared:

5/25/14
The Honey Quake story: Back up your recipes!


Earthquake warnings and predictions:

3/31/11
Thoughts about the much-publicized North American earthquake prediction for late March 2011


>>back to blog

No comments:

Post a Comment

COMMENT POLICY: Comments on blog posts can be very useful, raising issues and adding helpful information. However, some people attempt to post generic comments with embedded links to irrelevant websites. Due to this comment spam, all submitted comments will be verified by me first so there will probably be a delay before legitimate comments get posted. If your comment is taking a while to show up, it probably just means that I have not checked my e-mail yet. NOTE THAT COMMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ADVERTISEMENTS WILL NOT BE POSTED.