What kind of quake prepper are you? A comic

By Gemma Correll

June 12, 2021 4 AM PT

What type of earthquake prepper are you? Don’t see yourself represented below? Tell us more in the comments.

This article is part of the Los Angeles Times guide to earthquake readiness and resilience. Earthquakes are a fact of life in Southern California. Here’s what you need to know.

UPDATED June 12, 2021 | 5:39 AM

How much water should you have on hand for a quake?

Most recommendations are to have one gallon per person (and pet) for three days. In a warm climate like ours, you probably want more. Learn more about earthquake kits and what to put in them >>

If you smell gas, do you know how to shut off your gas meter?

The shutoff is usually outside, frequently on a sideyard. If you smell gas after an earthquake, turn the valve a quarter turn so that it’s perpendicular to the pipe coming out of the ground. More about what to do during and immediately after the shaking >>

Do you have an early warning app on your phone?

MyShake, built by UC Berkeley, aims to give people on the West Coast crucial seconds of warning before the shaking begins. Learn more about earthquake apps and California’s early warning system >>

What would a seismologist do?

More important than kits, specific amounts of water or batteries, seismologist Lucy Jones writes, are people. Here’s why she says you should start talking to your neighbors >>

Want to learn more?