Question 1

What is the first thing you should do during an earthquake?

Accepted Answer

DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON is the safest way to protect yourself. Dropping gets you low so falling objects are less likely to hit your head or body. Covering under a sturdy desk or table protects you from things falling down. Holding on keeps you in place if the ground shakes hard. Running outside is dangerous because you might get hit by falling things from buildings. Staying in bed leaves you exposed to objects falling on you.

Question 2

How deep can water be before it sweeps most cars away in a flood?

Accepted Answer

Water just 2 feet deep moving fast can push most cars off the road and sweep them away. That's only about as tall as a kindergartener. Even though 2 feet doesn't sound very deep, fast-moving water has huge power. Never try to drive through flooded roads even if the water looks shallow. It's impossible to know how fast it's moving or how deep it really is. Turn around and find a different route instead.

Question 3

What should you do BEFORE a hurricane arrives?

Accepted Answer

Preparing before the hurricane arrives keeps you safe. Securing loose items like trash cans and lawn chairs stops them from becoming dangerous flying objects. Filling bathtubs gives you emergency water to drink and use if taps stop working. Boarding windows prevents glass from breaking and flying into your home. Leaving windows open lets wind push inside and damage your house. You need more than just food—you also need water, medicine, flashlights, and batteries.

Question 4

Where is the safest place to shelter during a tornado?

Accepted Answer

A basement or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows is safest because tornadoes can't reach you underground, and interior rooms have walls that protect you from the spinning wind. Basements are best because they're below ground level. Windows are dangerous because they can break and send glass flying. Attics are bad because tornadoes can rip the roof off. Garages have big doors that can fail and let the wind inside. Stay in the middle of your home, away from outside walls.

Question 5

When should you evacuate if a wildfire is approaching your area?

Accepted Answer

You must leave when authorities give an evacuation order because they know where the fire is going based on weather and fire behavior. Waiting to see the fire or smoke means you might get trapped. Five miles away might sound far, but fire moves fast and can change direction suddenly. Following official orders means you leave with plenty of time and use the same roads as everyone else, so traffic flows better. Waiting until it's hot or you can see smoke is waiting too long.

Question 6

What is a natural warning sign that a tsunami might be coming?

Accepted Answer

When the ocean suddenly pulls back and you can see the seafloor, a tsunami is probably coming. The water gets pulled back by the same force that creates the huge wave. If you see the seafloor where water usually is, run to higher ground immediately—you might only have minutes. This is nature's warning system and it's more reliable than waiting for sirens. Heavy rain, bird behavior, and temperature changes don't mean a tsunami is coming.

Question 7

What should you do during aftershocks that follow an earthquake?

Accepted Answer

Stay in your safe position and be ready to DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON again because aftershocks can be dangerous and cause more damage. Aftershocks happen after the main earthquake and can shake buildings that are already damaged. They can knock things down that didn't fall during the first shake. Going outside puts you at risk from falling objects from buildings. Elevators can get stuck between floors, trapping you inside.

Question 8

If water is rising and you need to evacuate due to flooding, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Leave right away for high ground using safe routes before floodwater blocks roads. Waiting in your home is dangerous because water can rise fast and trap you upstairs with no way to escape. Walking through moving water is deadly—you can slip and get swept away even if it seems shallow. Calling for help while staying put might mean rescue teams can't reach you because roads are flooded. The time to leave is before you absolutely need to, not after water arrives.

Question 9

What is the best way to protect windows during a hurricane?

Accepted Answer

Boarding up windows or installing impact-resistant shutters stops glass from breaking and flying into your home. Broken windows let wind and rain get inside, causing damage and making your home less safe. Regular tape doesn't work because wind pressure is too strong. Opening windows doesn't help—it actually lets wind push inside and damage the structure. Shutters and boards are designed to handle hurricane winds.

Question 10

What is the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning?

Accepted Answer

A Watch means conditions are right for a tornado to form, so you should be ready. A Warning means a tornado has actually been spotted or shown on radar, so you must take shelter immediately. Think of it like this: a Watch is a heads-up to get prepared, but a Warning is a red alert to act now. When you hear a Warning, go to your safe shelter room right away. When you hear a Watch, stay alert and keep an eye on the weather.

Question 11

What should you wear to protect yourself from wildfire smoke?

Accepted Answer

An N95 or P100 respirator mask that fits properly can block tiny smoke particles from getting into your lungs. Cloth masks and wet bandanas don't work because smoke particles are too small and pass right through. The mask must fit snugly around your face with no gaps on the sides or edges. Sunglasses protect your eyes but don't help with breathing. Make sure your mask is labeled N95 or P100 and that it seals properly around your nose and mouth.

Question 12

Why do people sometimes think tsunamis are taller than they really are?

Accepted Answer

In the ocean, a tsunami is only a few feet tall, but as it reaches shallow coastal water, it slows down and the water piles up, making it much taller. Imagine a crowd of people walking fast suddenly hitting a narrow hallway—they bunch up and get taller. This piling up can create waves 50 feet tall or higher. So a tsunami that seemed small in the deep ocean becomes huge near shore. Camera angles and reflections might make videos look different, but the real danger comes from the water being pushed ashore by this massive wave.

Question 13

What should you do if you are outside and far from shelter when an earthquake starts?

Accepted Answer

Stay low, cover your head with your hands, and move away from buildings, trees, and power lines because these things can fall on you. Drop and cover in an open area away from anything that might fall. Don't run into a building because you might be inside when it collapses. Trees can have branches fall, and power lines can be dangerous. Driving is risky because the earthquake might make the car shake and you could lose control. Open spaces are safer than being near structures.

Question 14

What makes fast-moving floodwater so dangerous?

Accepted Answer

Fast-moving water has incredible force even if it's not very deep. Water moving at 2 miles per hour can knock an adult down. Imagine being hit by a car moving slowly—that's kind of like what fast water does. The speed combined with the water's weight creates a powerful push. Depth doesn't tell you everything—a shallow flood moving fast is more dangerous than deep water moving slowly. Never underestimate water's power, and never try to walk, wade, or drive through moving floodwater.

Question 15

Where should a safe room be located in a house for tornado protection?

Accepted Answer

An interior room or basement on the lowest floor is safest because there's no roof overhead to collapse and no outside walls where wind can push in. Interior rooms are surrounded by other rooms and walls that protect you. Basements are even better because you're underground. Attics are worst because the roof is right there and can be ripped off. Master bedrooms often have big windows which aren't safe. Hallways near outside walls have windows and exterior doors that wind can destroy.

Question 16

What is the danger of staying in a car during a flood?

Accepted Answer

Moving floodwater pushes cars sideways, and you lose control—the car can float away like a boat, and you can't steer it. Even a strong swimmer can't swim out of a sinking car. It only takes 2 feet of moving water to sweep most cars away. Once you're floating, you're in serious danger. The water is stronger than your car's tires gripping the road. Even new cars with good engines can't overcome the push of flowing water.

Question 17

How long can you safely stay in a hurricane shelter before needing to move to a safer location?

Accepted Answer

You stay in your hurricane shelter for the whole storm until weather reports say it's safe to go outside. The danger continues as long as the hurricane is nearby with strong winds and heavy rain. Moving around during the hurricane puts you in danger. Once the storm has passed and officials say it's safe, then you can come out and see what happened. Hurricanes can last many hours, so you need supplies in your shelter to last through it all.

Question 18

What is the first sign that a wildfire is close enough to threaten your home?

Accepted Answer

An evacuation order from authorities or heavy smoke moving toward your area means it's time to leave right now. Officials track the fire's location and movement and order evacuations before danger hits. By the time you see flames on the horizon, the fire might be close enough to trap you. Smoke smell is a warning, but it can travel for miles—just smelling smoke doesn't mean the fire is close. When authorities order you to go, that's based on real information about where the fire is going. Don't wait to see flames.

Question 19

If a tsunami warning is issued and you're near the beach, how far inland should you go?

Accepted Answer

Go at least 100 feet higher in elevation or 1 mile inland away from the beach, and keep climbing to higher ground if possible. This gives you safety margin in case the tsunami is bigger than expected. A second-floor building near the beach might not be high enough—tsunamis can reach multiple stories. Staying on the beach, even on higher sand, is not safe enough. The safest move is to get completely inland and uphill where water from the tsunami cannot reach you.

Question 20

Why is it dangerous to try to flee a wildfire on roads that are jammed with other evacuees?

Accepted Answer

When everyone evacuates on the same roads at once without a plan, traffic gets so bad that people get stuck. Fire can catch up to stopped traffic and trap cars. Authorities plan evacuation routes that use all available roads so traffic moves better and people escape faster. If you don't follow the planned routes, you might end up on a clogged road with no escape. Running out of gas makes things worse, but the bigger problem is being trapped by fire while stuck in traffic. Trust the evacuation order and use the routes officials recommend.

Natural Disaster Survival Quiz

Natural Disaster Survival Quiz