Secure Your Property

• Reinforce Your Home: Ensure that your home is built to withstand seismic activity. This might include retrofitting older structures, reinforcing the foundation, and securing heavy furniture to walls. Ensure your home meets local building codes; check with the Department of Emergency Management.
• Review Your Insurance Policy: Insure your property with GenAc – At GenAc Barbados property insurance provides protection against most risks to property, such as fire, theft and some weather damage. You should also consider adding earthquake coverage to your policy.
• Create an Emergency Kit: Stock up on essentials such as water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, radios, important documents a First-Aid Kit – accessible and functional.
• Secure Heavy Items: Store heavy items on lower shelves. Ensure furniture, water tanks, and gas cylinders are properly secured to your walls and floors. Ensure all family members know how to use this equipment and shut off electricity, gas, and water.
• Develop a Family Plan: Practice earthquake safety drills regularly with your family so everyone knows what to do. Ensure all family members know how to reach each other after an earthquake, especially if phone lines are down.

Prepare Your Vehicle:

• Park Safely: When parking your vehicle, avoid areas that might be vulnerable during an earthquake, such as under bridges or near buildings.
• Emergency Supplies: Keep an emergency kit in your car, including a spare tire, tools, bottled water, and a flashlight.

Business Preparedness

To protect your business from revenue loss and asset damage, implement a comprehensive earthquake preparedness plan. This should include:

• A tailored commercial property insurance policy with GenAc
• Protocols for actions during and after an earthquake
• Evacuation routes and staff meeting locations
• Communication plans for internal and external updates
• Documentation of all business assets
• Emergency contact information
• Supply kits
• A workplace hazard survey

Additionally, contract a structural engineer to inspect your facility to identify and prioritize necessary strengthening measures, such as:

• Installing steel bracing and shear walls
• Reinforcing columns and foundations
• Adhering to safety codes for construction and renovations
• Following building safety codes when constructing a facility or making renovations
• Inspecting non-structural systems, such as air-conditioning, communications, and pollution control systems.