Nevada agency offers safety tips after quakes near Lake Tahoe

An earthquake near Lake Tahoe on Thursday jolted many Nevadans and gave emergency responders an opportunity to remind residents of ways to stay safe during such temblors.

The magnitude 6 quake along the California border struck around 4 p.m. and was followed by aftershocks, but no injuries were reported, officials said.

The Nevada Division of Emergency Management said in a release Friday that preparedness is the best defense. Furthermore, identifying potential hazards ahead of time and planning can prevent serious injury or death.

The agency suggests residents prepare to be “self-reliant for two weeks without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or local services, household medical needs or maybe even without response from police, fire, or rescue.”

Before an earthquake

Other earthquake preparedness measures include:

■ Staying aware of possible emergencies in your community and identifying sources of information that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency.

■ Making a plan with your family in case a disaster strikes and not everyone is together. Families should discuss how to contact each other if separated and establish a family meeting place that is familiar and easy to locate.

■ Building an emergency supply kit, a collection of basic items in the household that may be needed in an emergency. Family members with special needs and pets should also be accounted for.

■ Getting trained on basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.

■ Securing heavy items in residences like bookcases, refrigerators, televisions and objects that hang on walls.

■ Consider obtaining an earthquake insurance policy and making improvements to buildings to fix structural issues that could cause collapses during an earthquake.

During an earthquake

In most situations, during an earthquake, it is recommended to immediately drop, cover and hold on.

■ Drop down onto your hands and knees before the earthquake knocks you down. This position protects you from falling and allows for movement if necessary.

■ Cover your head, neck and entire body if possible underneath a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, get down near an interior wall or next to low-lying furniture that won’t fall.

■ Hold on to shelter, or your head and neck, until the shaking stops. If the shaking shifts your shelter, be prepared to move.

For more information, visit dem.nv.gov or ready.gov.

Contact Mathew Miranda at mmiranda@reviewjournal.com. Follow mathewjmiranda on Twitter.