Ed. Note: The following article is a news release provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Information Bureau.

Disasters can affect many people and a wide area such as an earthquake, or can affect less people and a smaller area such as a severe windstorm that knocks down thousands of power lines, blocking streets and making it difficult for repair crews to restore power for many days or over a week.

Officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are offering tips to help Los Angeles County residents be prepared in the event of an emergency.

1. Drop, Cover and Hold:

In an earthquake, one may only have seconds to protect themselves, before strong shaking knocks them down, or drops something on them. Practicing helps one be ready to respond.

• If one is inside a building, move no more than a few steps, then Drop, Cover and Hold On:
  • Drop to the ground
  • Take cover by getting under a sturdy desk or table
  • Hold on to it until the shaking stops.

Stay indoors until the shaking stops and it is safe to exit. In most buildings it is safer to stay still until the shaking stops.

• If one is outdoors when the shaking starts, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines, then Drop, Cover and Hold On. Stay there until the shaking stops.
• If one is driving, pull over to a clear location, stop and stay there with the seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Once the shaking stops, proceed with caution and avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged.

Before an earthquake, identify safe places such as under a sturdy piece of furniture or against an interior wall in one’s home, office or school so that when the shaking starts one can respond quickly.

Ground shaking during an earthquake is seldom the cause of injury.

Most earthquake-related injuries and deaths are caused by collapsing walls and roofs, flying glass and falling objects.

It is extremely important for a person to move as little as possible to reach the place of safety he or she has identified because most injuries occur when people try to move more than a short distance during the shaking.

An immediate response to move to the safe place can save lives. And that safe place should be within a few steps to avoid injury from flying debris.

1. Be Prepared

Assemble an emergency supply kit, make emergency plans, stay informed and get involved in helping one’s family, business and community be ready for emergencies.

Be prepared for when, not if, the next emergency occurs.

Top priorities are shelter, food, water and power, but there is a lot more to it.

Officials have listed a number of resources to help be better prepared in the event of an earthquake:

1. Ready, Set, Go! – Los Angeles County Fire Department:
2. Safety Preparedness – Los Angeles County Fire Department:
3. Learn what to do BEFORE an earthquake, DURING an earthquake, and AFTER an earthquake.
4. Emergency Survival Guide – County of Los Angeles:
5. Citizens Guide to County Services – Los Angeles County: http://www.lacounty.gov/government/county-services/directory-of-services-information/, http://ridley-thomas.lacounty.gov/…/Citizens-Guide-to-Count…

6. LA-ESP: At the Los Angeles County Emergency Survival Program’s website, there is a great selection of useful, lifesaving materials and publications for download to share.
7. Federal Emergency Management Agency: http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan, http://www.fema.gov/…/PrepareAthon_EARTHQUAKES_HTG_FINAL_50…

8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
9. Ten Ways YOU Can be Disaster Prepared: California Emergency Management Agency

10. Totally Unprepared: Admitting You Have a Problem is the First Step:

11. ¿Estás listo para un terremoto?

12. United States Geological Survey, or USGS, provides rapid earthquake data at this website:

1. Communications:

Be sure to get a portable cell phone or laptop charger and, if possible, a generator.

Emergency and Routine Messages from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department:

1. Twitter of the Headquarters Newsroom of Sheriff’s Information Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
2. Facebook of the newsroom of Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
3. Website of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which translates into over 60 languages.
4. Alert LA County: Los Angeles County has implemented an emergency mass notification system to contact County residents and businesses via recorded phone messages, text messages and email during emergencies.
5. SNAP LA County – Specific Needs Disaster Voluntary Registry: The purpose of this registry is to facilitate the planning and implementation of disaster response by first-responder agencies to persons with Specific Needs in the County of Los Angeles.
6. LA Crimestoppers – confidential/anonymous email/ text/ phone call crime reporting to police agencies in Los Angeles County.

Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org/