The massive Japanese earthquake  today once again remind us of the every increasing activity that puts our homes and businesses at risk. You realize, of course, that with an earthquake you also have broken pipes, water damage and mold. For those of you NOT in earthquake country, think again! A hurricane or tornado rattles and shakes you up in the same way.

What do you cherish and fear losing in the next earthquake? Heirlooms, crystal, collectibles, family history, intellectual property? What items of value would impact your business continuity and how would these items, flying around in an earthquake, affect personal safety?!

Here is an earthquake fact: Notice in the photos of the earthquake damage that you see on the news and/or the Internet that not all homes, building etc are completely destroyed. In fact there is an epicenter that gets hit hard… but not all buildings in the critical area get hit and missed… and millions of people in the surrounding areas “just” got shook up badly. So, preparing for an earthquake is sound advise… but not only that… it  PAYS to prepare.

Consider these important tips:

1. Earthquake insurance is cheap but an add on.

2. Strap down tall furniture that will topple over.

3. Anchor down collectibles in curio cabinets and on shelves that can fly around and cause damage, besides being broken.

4. Make copies of important documents, printed on a laser writer onto acid-free, buffered paper. Keep the copy in another location, out of your area. Know ahead of time what will impact your business or family’s well being if you lose it.

5. Protect important historical items

6. Save financially valuable items

7. Protect and save emotionally valuable items

Surprisingly, an easy, fast, do-it-yourself anchoring technique can save you in all of these five needs of being protected mentioned in the first paragraphs… in all of these problem areas… this will help you BIG TIME! http://www.saveyourstuffblog.com/museum-wax-package

A recent news video on earthquakes stated that seismologist experts record over 27,000 earthquakes in the US each year! (most barely detectable but an indication of potential).

Here’s a real life story you’ll like. A customer who collects Pre-Columbian artifacts took my advice and anchored down his collection out of his shelves with an anchor wax. He stored the rest of the collection in appropriate boxes with proper packing materials. His collection, back 15 years ago, was appraised at over $3 million. He lives in Northridge California.

Within a year of taking action, the Northridge Earthquake hit and he was at the epicenter. Not one of the items was broken! But then, take note of this! He went to his insurance company, Lloyds of London and told them how he took action to prevent damage. They lowered his premiums by 30 %.

Apply this example to your family’s collectibles and family history items at home or consider the value of items in the workplace and you can readily see that “value” can be defined as financial, historical or emotional. What would you regret loosing? If you lost key, creative and intellectual property, would your business survive?

Take note, Japanese ancestors are calling out to warn us all. Do-it-yourself, easy, fun, quick anchoring techniques can save help you save what they passed down to you through the ages… this will help you BIG TIME! http://www.saveyourstuffblog.com/museum-wax-package

Scott M. Haskins has worked in both Europe and the U.S. as a professional conservator since 1975. He has years of experience planning for and responding after earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, mold, fire and everyday home accidents and is the author of “How to Save Your Stuff from a Disaster,” a non-technical book with instructions on how to protect and save important documents, photos and other items not covered by insurance He wrote a booklet on “How To Respond After an Earthquake” of which the Bank of America Corporation distributed over 500,000 through their Human Resource Depts after the Northridge Earthquake.

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e-mail at best_artdoc@yahoo.com

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