West Pierce Fire & Rescue is dedicated to ensuring the community is prepared in the event of a disaster. During major disasters, such as an earthquake, firefighters may be delayed in their response to 9-1-1 calls and the community will need to rely on each other to assist until help arrives.

Each month, WPFR is sharing tips from the Washington Emergency Management Division’s Prepare in a Year series, available here in both English and Spanish. This process breaks down disaster preparedness into smaller tasks that can be accomplished month to month.

This month’s disaster preparedness tip is drop, cover and hold on!

During a disaster, it is natural for your flight or fight responses to kick in. However, during an earthquake it is crucial that you act quickly to protect yourself.

Practice what to do once an earthquake hits:

DROP onto your hands and knees
COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand, and get under something sturdy and
HOLD ON until the shaking stops.

If you are driving pull over to the side of the road, stop, and set the parking brake. Once the shaking stops, check for injuries, and check the status of your home.

If you are in an area where a tsunami is possible, head to high ground once the shaking is over.