Earthquake-Proof Your Home With These Expert Tips
ORANGE COUNTY (CBSLA.com) — The shaking may have stopped following Friday's 5.1 temblor in La Habra, but experts warn earthquake-proofing your home could still prevent serious injury when another hits.
For 10 years, Kimberlee Mitchell, the founder of Boo Boo Busters, has been educating parents and residents in earthquake country about safety.
She spoke to KCAL9's Cristy Fajardo about some of the biggest mistakes she sees.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: La Habra Quake
"If you drill into the drywall and you don't hit a stud it's going to come right out. It's like drilling into powder," she said.
One tip Mitchell suggests is using a stud finder to anchor bookshelves and other heavy furniture to the wall.
Flat screen televisions are also a tipping hazard. And in kitchens, Mitchell recommends child-proof latches, even on high cabinets.
"There are glass items here and during an earthquake doors fly open," she said.
She also urges parents not to overlook potential hazards in children's rooms.
"Make sure their beds or their cribs are first of all away from the window, away from the glass. And make sure that there are no items that can fall on top of their heads," she recommended.
Mitchell said the water heater is often neglected when doing these types of checks.
"It's important to get a set that allows you to do two anchorings so it's at the top and at the bottom so that if there's any shaking this isn't going to go anywhere," she said.
Mitchell recently helped her friend, Michelle Zehring, to implement these tips in her Ladera Ranch home so the family is ready for the next quake.
"I didn't know how to do it so I just didn't think about it," Zehring admitted.
Mitchell says you can hire an expert for a couple of hundred dollars, or do it yourself with materials found at a local hardware store.
For more information on how to prepare for an earthquake, visit the Earthquake Country Alliance website.
More information about Boo Boo Busters is available on the company's website.
