Earthquakes are one of the most devastating among all natural disasters. A rather disturbing yet unavoidable fact for the mankind is that none of the equipments, science or measurement scales is able to predict the precise way & time of the earthquake.

The only and hence the most effective means to minimize the severe effects of earthquakes amidst the human lives is making adequate preparations for the earthquake emergencies.

In the situation of an earthquake, one feels that the ground is shaking or rolling. In case the earthquake is a very sever one, that is the movements of earth's crust are really violent, one might also hear the ground roaring or rumbling.

These characteristics of an earthquake cause sheer panic among the people. Eventually this jeopardizes one's chance of the survival. Luckily strong & devastating earthquakes do not happen that usually. Even in the locations where there is a minimal chance of earthquakes that is the places & nations that are located near the ring of fire of the earth, it is imperative to have some emergency plans to keep yourself and your family safe.

Here are some tips that might help you getting prepared for the emergencies:

1. Practice Makes Safety

Like it is said in the army that sweat that you put in the practice & preparations saves the blood in wars, the key for being safe in the earthquake is reacting quickly, instantly and in a practiced manner.

The moment one feels the ground shaking violently, he/she should know precisely what to do, just by their instincts. In order to have that fast reaction during earthquakes, one must regularly conduct the drills on earthquake emergency. This would keep you strong and firm on your feet in the case of emergency.

2. Plan the Home Structure

In case one is residing in a place where earthquakes are very frequent, one must plan their home in accordance so that the earthquake does not serve as their deathbed.

Some points to remember in this regard are as follows:

a. Make use of light materials for the home.
b. Provide ample ways of exit to run in the emergency situation.
c. The collapsing of the home & building materials frequently cause injuries & deaths during earthquakes.
d. To avoid this, one must make sure that the structure of your house and the appliances are not very heavy so that they do not crush you.

e. Make sure to place extremely strong doorways and / or door frames. The reason for this is that these places are certainly most likely spots that must be able withstand the earthquakes.
f. Fastening tall & heavy fixtures on the walls is also important.
g. Make sure that the cabinets have latches else what ever they contain would fall out during the earthquake.

3. Plan for Everybody

a. Make sure that your emergency plans are known to everybody in the office or home.
b. They must know the emergency exits.
c. When ever the big shakers come, everybody must understand the procedures to be performed.
d. Co-ordination is very important aspect for survival after the earthquake.

4. Know Your Place

a. One must know the place to run & hide for cover in the earthquake situation, in order to save the life and limbs.
b. Next, you must learn these safe spots in the home or office.
c. When ever you get time practice getting in to the safe spots immediately, so that you are able to react more instantly during the actual earthquake.
d. After the earthquake, plan a meeting spot for the officemates and / or family, where every one can gather and can share the experience & difficulties.

5. Delegate the Responsibilities

a. Among the members of the family or office, assign certain duties for everybody that they must perform in the case of earthquakes.
b. Remember, earthquake preparation is never a one-man task.
c. Everyone in the circle that is the friends, family and officemates must understand their part of the job, especially in case you are not there during the earthquake.

6. Have Emergency Kits on Stand by

a. Next, have a good number of emergency kits all set and ready in the home as well as office.
b. The contents of the kit are the bare essentials for preserving life during emergencies.
c. With drinking water, first aid materials, food, etc., the emergency kit would be your lifeline during the emergency.
d. Also make sure that everyone knows the where-abouts of these kits and are accessible to all.