Little Firefighter Automatic Shut-off Valve
Are you ready for the next big quake? Most of us are not, and Larry Guillot isn’t afraid to tell you that you have work to do. He is an expert on retrofits (but chooses not to do them himself, although he is a licensed general contractor), and his consultation consists of checking the adequacy of your retrofit, walking your house room by room, talking about the safest place to be in each room when a serious quake hits and what should be secured & how to do it.
Recently, our block got together and hired Larry’s firm, QuakePrepare, to install emergency gas shut-off valves on the street. Larry was kind enough to share a bit about the importance of installing these valves in your home:
Why have an automatic gas shut-off valve on your home?:
Did you know that installing an automatic gas shutoff valve for your home is one of the most important and easiest things you can do regarding earthquake preparedness?
Some folks will say that they have a wrench and can shut off their gas manually if required. But what happens if…
• You are not home – even for a short while?
• You are incapacitated by the earthquake, or unable to navigate to the gas shut- off valve due to fallen debris, or if the manual valve is “frozen”?
An automatic gas shut-off valve is such an inexpensive way to provide protection for your house if you happen to be away when a serious quake hits. Even if you’re home when the quake hits, it takes care of turning off the gas for those who might not know how, or don’t have the strength to manage the manual valve (if it’s working! Around 60% of those I test during my in-home consultation are “frozen;” You can’t budge them without a pipe wrench).
We need to remember that, after a serious quake, the fire department won’t be making calls, roads will be closed and there won’t be any water to pump. After the Loma Prieta quake, the devastating damage in the Marina district was caused not by shaking, but by fires. Automatic shut-off valves could have prevented much of this damage.
What should I do next?
We are all busy and there is no shortage of projects to do around the house. It is easy to put this off, but Larry will tell you not to! Here are a few easy tips on how to get started:
- Hire a licensed plumber to install an emergency shut-0ff valve, which can be done quickly and cheaply
- Contact Larry and schedule an in-home quake preparedness consultation
- Make a plan and get smart: 72hours.org is a great resource for disaster planning and building your emergency kit
East Bay House Love 