Earthquake! Are you ready?

How and why to prepare...'cause earthquakes "happen"... anytime, anywhere!

You hear a rumbling and your house begins to shake! No matter where you live, an earthquake is a possibility. Today you'll learn how and why to prepare because quakes can happen anytime, anywhere. Think it's just a California problem? The first big recorded U.S. quake in 1886 covered 2-million square miles, took 100 lives and occurred in Charleston, N.C. Locate main controls for water, gas and electricity and learn how to shut them off quickly. Keep three days worth of drinking water per person and supplies like candles, batteries and canned food on hand. Secure things that could shake loose or fall (like water heaters or a heavy bookcase). Simple things like a battery-operated radio could be lifesavers if and when the shakin' begins. April is National Earthquake Preparedness Month. Today is Charles Richter's birthday, too (inventor of the you-know-what scale). A a word to the wise: Quakes can, and do, happen anytime, anywhere. And that's the On The House tip for today.

See more tips in the Safety category!