NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is recognizing February 2022 as Earthquake Awareness Month and reminding Tennesseans to prioritize earthquake preparedness before a disaster.
Earthquakes frequently occur in Tennessee because the Volunteer State has two seismic zones – the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in the west and the East Tennessee Seismic Zone in the east. While earthquakes most often occur with little to no warning, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.
If you feel an earthquake:
DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!),
Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and
HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.
If you are outdoors when the shaking starts, you should find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines, then Drop, Cover and Hold On. Stay there until the shaking stops.
If you are driving, pull over to a clear location, stop and stay there with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Once the shaking stops, proceed with caution and avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged.
Protect Your Home:
Secure heavy items in your home like bookcases, refrigerators, televisions, and objects that hang on walls.
Store heavy and breakable objects on low shelves.
Consider making improvements to your building to fix structural issues that could cause your building to collapse during an earthquake.
Consider obtaining an earthquake insurance policy. A standard homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover earthquake damage.
You can find more safety tips at tn.gov/tema.