CORVALLIS, Ore. - If a great earthquake were to strike the Pacific Northwest, the chances are two out of three you will be at home, and one out of three you will be in bed.
So, as Oregon State University geologist Robert Yeats says in his new book "Living With Earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest," the ability of your home to withstand an earthquake may affect not only your pocketbook but also the lives of you and your family.
Towards that goal, he offers a number of practical tips to safeguard both you and your home. Some are easy and others more costly; techniques to do all of these tasks are outlined in Yeats' book, can be arranged for by a contractor, or may be explained in other literature available from your Extension service or library. They include:
These are only a few of the possible improvements that may help protect life or property from an earthquake, but they could be important ones, Yeats said.
The other major action any home or business owner should consider is earthquake insurance. A typical homeowner's insurance policy will NOT cover earthquake damage unless it is specifically arranged for. But the good news is that in the Pacific Northwest, which has less of an earthquake history than someplace like California, earthquake insurance is still reasonably priced.
Robert Yeats, 541-737-1226
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