After the first aftershock (and again after subsequent aftershocks), inspect your home for damage. If you don’t feel safe inspecting your home for damage, leave immediately. If you decide to carry out a preliminary inspection, use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights if you need light. Kerosene lanterns, torches, candles, and matches may tip over or ignite flammables inside, especially if the quake has caused gas leaks.
Inside
[1] Watch for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that could fall, [2] Examine walls, floors, staircases, doors, and windows to make sure that your home is not in danger of collapsing, [3] Leave the gas on at the main valve, unless you smell gas or think it's leaking. It may be weeks or—in a worst-case scenario--months before professionals can turn gas back on using the correct procedures. Explosions have caused injury and death when homeowners have improperly turned their gas back on by themselves, [4] Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas using the outside main valve if you can, and call the gas company from a neighbor's home, [5] Avoid the added hazard of a chemical emergency. Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline, or other flammable liquids immediately and carefully, [6] Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice, [7] Open closet and cabinet doors cautiously. Contents may have shifted during the shaking of an earthquake and could fall, [8] Avoid smoking inside buildings, [9] Check for sewage line damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber, [10] Inspect the entire length of chimneys carefully for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to fire or injury from falling debris during an aftershock. Cracks in your chimney can lead to a fire years later, and [11] If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can get safe water from undamaged water heaters or by melting ice cubes.
Outside
Watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines, and stay out of the damaged areas of your city. Hazards caused by earthquakes are often difficult to see, and you could easily get hurt. Stay out of damaged buildings. If you are away from home, return only when authorities say it is safe. Damaged buildings can collapse from aftershocks following the initial quake.
Getting Help
When the earthquake and aftershocks have subsided, there are a few more things you should do: [1] Take pictures of any damage (to the house and its contents) for insurance claims, [2] When entering buildings, use extreme caution. Building damage may have occurred where you least expect it. Carefully watch every step you take [3] Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard. Your pets’ behavior may change dramatically after an earthquake. Normally quiet and friendly cats and dogs may become aggressive or defensive, [4] After an earthquake you’ll likely have a lot of recovery work to do. If you can get connected with neighbors and community organizations before an earthquake hits, your post-disaster recovery will be much easier.