Contact: Brian Lowe Tel: (800) 959-4053 Em: marketing@trevco.net

PREPAREDNESS IS BEST DEFENSE AGAINST EARTHQUAKES For Immediate Release San Diego, CA – (December 23, 2003) – One of the more valuable lessons to be learned from the strong earthquake that hit the central California coast Monday is that preparedness is absolutely essential. Being prepared is the best defense against earthquakes. By securing top-heavy pieces of furniture, heavy mirrors and smaller breakables around the home, damage to household contents and the risk of personal injuries can be minimized. The fact is that most injuries in an earthquake occur when big-ticket items of furniture, including entertainment units, china cabinets and grandfather clocks, crash to the floor. And the tremor doesn’t need to be as severe as Monday’s magnitude 6.5 quake for accidents to happen. If furniture and appliances are not secured, they will topple over and in some cases can become projectiles. The impact of an earthquake can easily jolt TVs and computers off their stands, bookcases and their contents can topple over and collectibles and other knick-knacks can be smashed. Unsecured Big screen TVs and wall units are prime examples of accidents waiting to happen every time the earth shakes, not to mention the high probability of porcelain vases or crystal figurines being rattled off a shelf without much effort. Aside from the risk to personal safety, there is also the potential to lose valuable and treasured items that cannot be replaced if household contents remain unsecured. “Most people don’t think about being prepared for earthquakes until it’s too late, but the key to avoiding injuries and losing precious possessions is preparedness. The good news is that there are simple and inexpensive preventive measures that we can take to safeguard our household contents and give us peace of mind at the same time,” said Dean Reese, an earthquake mitigation specialist. Earthquake safety fasteners, developed in California, can be used to secure the contents of a home. Flexible nylon straps will secure furniture and appliances, while removable and reusable temporary adhesives will anchor collectibles. The entire range of fasteners can be found in major hardware stores throughout California. Look for the Earthquake Safety Center.