According to the U.S. Geological Survey, California is expected to have an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 or greater earthquake.  Although the earthquake is estimated to hit anywhere in the next three decades, the chances increased from 4.7% to 7%.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suggested several tips in preparing your home:

First, “Make your home safer to be in during earthquakes and more resistant to earthquake damage by assessing its structure and contents.” Based on the year built and the maintenance you’ve kept, your home may have more areas prone to damage than you think. Examples FEMA includes are “structures not anchored to their foundations or having weak crawl space walls, unbraced pier-and-post foundations, or unreinforced masonry walls or foundations.” When seeking to purchase a new home, be sure to have your inspector seek for any weaknesses in your future home. Also, be sure that when building a home that it falls under the seismic provisions of your local building code. Lastly, be sure to always have any hazardous items that are damage-prone higher or away from areas that could potentially harm you in the event of an earthquake. Always secure paintings and pictures with closed hooks and be sure that your plumber has installed flexible connectors on all gas appliances. For more safety tips, please refer to FEMA’s website here.