Drop, Cover, Hold On: What to Do Before, During, and After a California Earthquake
What should you do during an earthquake if you're indoors?
If you're indoors during an earthquake, drop to your hands and knees immediately, take cover under a sturdy table or desk if one is nearby, and hold on until shaking stops. If no table is available, get against an interior wall away from windows and protect your head and neck with your arms. Do not run outside while shaking is happening.
How do I get ShakeAlert earthquake warnings on my phone in California?
California residents can receive ShakeAlert earthquake early warnings through the free MyShake app, developed by UC Berkeley with USGS support and available on iOS and Android. Many phones also receive Wireless Emergency Alerts automatically without any app. Check your phone's notification settings to confirm emergency alerts haven't been disabled.
What should be in a California earthquake go-bag?
A California earthquake go-bag should include at minimum 72 hours of water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable food, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, a basic first aid kit, copies of important documents in a waterproof pouch, cash in small bills, prescription medications, and any supplies specific to children or pets in the household.
Should I shut off my gas after an earthquake?
Current guidance from California utilities and emergency officials is to shut off gas only if you smell it, hear it hissing, or have reason to suspect a leak after an earthquake. Shutting it off as a general precaution is not recommended because restoring service typically requires a technician visit. If you do smell gas, leave the building immediately and call your utility from outside.
How do I sign up for earthquake and emergency alerts in my California county?
County-level emergency alert systems vary across California - some counties use Nixle, others use Genasys or similar platforms. To find the signup link for your specific county, check your county's Office of Emergency Services website or visit caloes.ca.gov for links to local programs. Most phones also receive federal Wireless Emergency Alerts automatically with no signup required.
- USGS Live Earthquake Map — real-time magnitude, depth, and aftershock tracking
- MyShake Early Warning App — California's free earthquake early-warning app
- Cal OES Earthquake Preparedness — official state guidance on what to do before, during, and after
California sits atop one of the most seismically active regions on earth, and most people who've lived here long enough have felt at least one quake. Knowing what to do in the first seconds of shaking - and in the hours after - can be the difference between a scary experience and a serious injury. Here's what seismologists, emergency managers, and state officials actually recommend.
Related: California ShakeAlert: What the Earthquake Warning on Your Phone Means and What to Do · California Earthquake Go-Bag Checklist: What Emergency Officials Actually Say to Pack
Before the Shaking Starts: What to Do Now
The most effective earthquake preparation happens on a calm Tuesday afternoon, not at 2 a.m. when the walls are moving. Cal OES and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services recommend that every household identify the safest spots in each room (under a sturdy table, against an interior wall away from windows), secure tall furniture and water heaters to wall studs, and store at least 72 hours of water and food per person. Water is typically cited at one gallon per person per day.
Brace or relocate anything that can fall - bookcases, refrigerators, water heaters, heavy art. Flexible gas-line connectors are worth having a licensed plumber check; rigid connections can rupture during strong shaking and start fires. Know where your gas shutoff is and keep a wrench nearby, though the current guidance from most utility companies is to only shut off gas if you smell it or suspect a leak - not as a precaution after every tremor, since relighting a pilot typically requires a technician visit.
California residents in many parts of the state can also sign up for ShakeAlert, the USGS-developed early warning system that sends a few seconds of advance notice before strong shaking arrives. The MyShake app from UC Berkeley, developed with USGS support, is free on both iOS and Android and is one of the primary ways California residents receive ShakeAlert notifications. A few seconds isn't much, but it's enough to get under a table or move away from a stove.
During the Earthquake: Drop, Cover, Hold On
This is the part most people think they know and many still get wrong. The USGS and Cal OES both give the same instruction: drop to your hands and knees, get under a sturdy desk or table if one is nearby, and hold on until the shaking stops. If there's no table, get against an interior wall, away from windows, and protect your head and neck with your arms.
Do not run outside during shaking. Falling glass, building facades, and debris are the primary causes of earthquake injuries, and most of that danger is concentrated in the first moments of shaking. The "triangle of life" idea - sheltering next to furniture rather than under it - is not supported by modern seismic engineering research or by USGS guidance. Stay where you are unless you're near something obviously dangerous like a fireplace or an exterior window.
If you're in bed when a quake hits, stay there. Pull a pillow over your head. Getting up and trying to move through a dark room while things are falling off shelves is more dangerous than staying put.
If you're driving, pull over away from overpasses, bridges, trees, and power lines, stop, and stay in the vehicle until shaking ends. If you're outside, move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires and drop to the ground.
After the Shaking: The First Hour Matters
Aftershocks follow most significant earthquakes, sometimes within minutes and sometimes strong enough to cause additional damage. When the initial shaking stops, check yourself and others for injuries before doing anything else. If you smell gas, leave the building immediately, leave the door open, and don't use any electrical switches or open flames. Call your gas utility from outside or away from the building.
Check for structural damage before assuming it's safe to stay. Cracks in load-bearing walls, a foundation that looks shifted, or doors that won't close are signs to get out and have the building inspected. Local building inspectors or a licensed structural engineer can post a placard - green (inspected, appears safe), yellow (restricted use), or red (unsafe to enter). After a major event, cities and counties typically organize inspection teams; watch for announcements from your city or county emergency management office.
Turn on a battery-powered radio or check a local news station for emergency instructions. Cell networks often get congested immediately after a significant quake. Text messages typically go through when voice calls won't - and texting is the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services' recommended method for checking in with family. Keep calls short and to genuine emergencies.
If tap water looks discolored or your utility issues a boil-water advisory, treat water before drinking: boiling for one minute (three minutes above 6,500 feet elevation) kills biological contaminants, per standard public health guidance. Your water heater tank is also a source of stored water if the tank wasn't damaged.
See also: What KIBS/KBOV Community News Doesn't Cover About Bishop and the Highway 395 corridor — and What CALWIRE Does · What Mid Valley Times Doesn't Cover About Reedley — and What CALWIRE Does
Wireless Emergency Alerts and County Notification Systems
Most California residents' phones will automatically receive Wireless Emergency Alerts - the loud, buzzing notifications that don't require any signup - for imminent threats including earthquake warnings where ShakeAlert coverage applies. These go to any cell phone that's on and within range of a cell tower in the affected area, regardless of carrier, as long as the feature hasn't been manually disabled in the phone's settings.
Many California counties also run opt-in systems for localized alerts beyond what WEA broadcasts. These vary by county - some use Nixle, some use Genasys (formerly Everbridge), some use other platforms. Your county's Office of Emergency Services page is the place to find the specific signup link for your area. The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services maintains a resource hub at caloes.ca.gov that links to county-level programs.
The Go-Bag: What to Actually Pack
Cal OES and the Federal Emergency Management Agency both recommend a grab-and-go bag you can take in an evacuation or rely on if you're sheltering with no utilities. The core items: enough water for at least 72 hours (one gallon per person per day), a three-day supply of non-perishable food, a manual can opener, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a flashlight with extra batteries, a basic first aid kit, a whistle, dust masks or N95 respirators, plastic sheeting and duct tape, moist towelettes and trash bags, and a wrench or pliers for shutting off utilities.
Beyond those basics: copies of critical documents (ID, insurance cards, medication list, bank account info) in a waterproof pouch or a USB drive. A cash reserve in small bills, because ATMs and card readers go down. A full charge on any backup battery banks. Any prescription medications - at least a week's supply if possible. Glasses or contacts if you wear them. If you have children or pets, their specific supplies: formula, diapers, food, leashes, a carrier, vaccination records for pets.
Store the bag somewhere accessible - near an exit, not in a garage that might be blocked by a fallen car or debris. Check it once or twice a year to rotate food and water and replace expired medications.
This is general information, not emergency or legal advice. For current official guidance, check the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services at caloes.ca.gov, the USGS ShakeAlert program at usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/shakealert, and your county's Office of Emergency Services for local alert signup - resources and specific recommendations can be updated following major events or changes in state policy.