With the earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and most recently Baja California, it's probably a good time to review earthquake preparedness.
 
If indoors when a quake hits, immediately seek shelter under sturdy furniture or along an inside wall. The idea is to avoid being injured by falling debris. Falling debris can mean anything from TVs falling off bookshelves to window glass breaking.
 
Since earthquakes don't give a lot of warning, it's best if you have a plan worked out in advance. For example, in my office, I'm going to crawl into the kennel with my dog. Seriously, the kennel is a sturdy metal thing on an inside wall and big enough for the both of us. In the living room, I'm looking at the couch as my safe spot. You need to take thirty seconds and plan a safe spot in each room of your house.
 
The preferred response, as it has been for years, is always to drop, cover, and hold. Drop to the ground where you have a lower center of gravity and more stability. Cover your head against falling objects while you seek cover for your body. And hold tight to something that can provide you protection against something heavy toppling over on you.
 
For each place you normally go, home, school, work, figure out an evacuation plan that will enable you to get out of the building when the shaking stops. Don't take the elevator. Most public buildings have evacuation plans available.
 
If outside, stay outside, somewhere away from falling trees and buildings.
 
Now, meaning before the earthquake hits, is also a good time to prepare your house. Bolt and brace your water heater and free-standing gas appliances to wall studs. Any tall furniture in a room like bookcases and grandfather clocks can be secured in position with small elbow braces.
 
It's also a good time to put together that survival kit. Sturdy shoes and gloves make picking your way through the debris easier and safer. A flashlight with fresh batteries will also be useful while the power is out. And, until the fallen trees and power lines are removed from the streets, three days to a week of food and water would be a good idea.
 
When it happens, it's too late to prepare. You have to prepare before it happens. That would be now.