THE 6.6 QUAKE : On the Rebound: A Guide to Recovery and Resources : A Game Plan for the Future : What you need to have and need to know to be ready.

After every big earthquake, you say to yourself, “Gosh, I really ought to stock up on all those supplies I didn’t have.” Or: “Gee, it would have been nice if I had had a quake game plan with my family or with my neighbors.” Time goes by, the next quake hits and there you are, without a flashlight and without a clue as to who lives next door. Here it is--what you need to have, what you ought to know before a quake comes.

SUPPLIES

The California Office of Emergency Services advises supplies for a minimum of 72 hours of self-sufficiency.

Home

* A flashlight and fresh batteries or rechargeable flashlights should be handy in every room. It doesn’t do much good if you are in bed when a quake strikes and your flashlight is in the kitchen.

* Three- to four-day food supply per person.

* Two gallons of water per day per person.

* Tools such as crescent wrench to turn off gas and water (learn how to use beforehand), hammer, screwdrivers (flat and Phillips), shovel, ax, crowbar.

* Portable radio and batteries. (Portable TV and batteries, if you want more than audio contact.)

* Water purification tablets.

* Fire extinguisher (learn how to use it beforehand).

* Manual can opener.

* Cash.

* Paper plates, cups and plastic utensils.

* Blankets.

* Comfortable clothes and shoes.

* Barbecue grill and charcoal.

* Matches.

* First-aid kit.

* Resealable plastic bags for human waste.

* Large trash bags.

* Thick-soled shoes.

* Heavy gloves.

* Newspapers.

CAR

* Keep gas tank full.

* Cash and coins.

* First-aid kit.

* Moist towelettes.

* Flashlight and batteries.

* Canned fruit and unsalted nuts.

* Manual can opener.

* 2 gallons of water.

* Essential medication.

* Portable radio.

* Toilet bags.

* Utility knife.

* Flares.

* Blanket or sleeping bag.

* Fire extinguisher.

* Screwdriver and pliers.

* Local maps.

* Extra clothes and comfortable shoes.

* Hat or visor.

* Whistle.

* Pen and paper.

OFFICE

* Extra clothes and comfortable shoes.

* Canned fruit and unsalted nuts.

* Manual can opener.

* Essential medication.

* Portable radio.

* Blanket or sleeping bag.

FOOD

Because grocery stores may be closed for several days, experts advise keeping a three-day food supply for each individual. Here are some guidelines:

* Choose foods that store well without refrigeration, such as canned meat, fish, soup, macaroni, beans, chili, vegetables, spaghetti, ravioli, fruit, juice, nuts, peanut butter, jelly, pudding and dried milk.

* Store staples such as crackers, cereal, rice cakes, snack bars, dried fruit and legumes in plastic jars.

* Buy foods that are low in sodium. You don’t want to deplete your water supply.

* Store food in a dark, cool area.

* Don’t forget the fifth major food group: snacks. Chocolate can be soothing after a quake.

* Rotate foods once or twice a year to avoid spoilage.

* If power is out, first eat food from the refrigerator. Next, freezer food and lastly, non-perishables. (Frozen food lasts several days if the freezer door is kept closed.)

* Do not use canned foods that are bulging or leaking.

* Do not use food from open containers near broken glass or spilled household chemicals.

* Do not eat perishable foods that become warm. Bacteria grow rapidly without refrigeration and may cause food poisoning.

WATER

Keeping water in your body is critical. Symptoms of mild dehydration include impatience, fatigue, emotional instability and apathy. Symptoms of severe dehydration include headache, sunken eyes and cheeks, difficulty breathing, weakness, mental confusion and rapid but weak pulse. Here’s what you’ll need:

* 2 gallons of water per day per person.

* Alternate sources of water are soda beverages, melted ice or snow, liquid from canned foods, toilet tanks (not bowls)--a toilet tank can provide up to 7 gallons of water. Do not drink if chemical disinfectant or bluing agent was used.

* To rely on a hot water heater for drinking water, flush at least once every 6 months to remove rust and mineral deposits.

* Don’t drink water stored in vinyl plastic containers, such as water beds.

* Quickly running water from streams should be filtered and purified.

* Dew does not usually require purification. It can be collected by wiping from low vegetation, rocks and grasses with a rag.

PURIFYING WATER

Dysentery, infectious hepatitis and typhoid fever are diseases that can result from contaminated water. After an earthquake, you can’t assume water from water lines or reservoirs is pure. Instead, choose one of the following purification methods:

* Boiling--Boil water vigorously for five minutes. Without power, place a steel cup directly over hot coals until red hot, then place directly into container of water.

* Filtering--Allow collected water to stand for several hours to settle heavier particles. Pour the clearer water through a piece of cotton cloth so the suspended particles are filtered. Repeat until water is clear.

* Purification Tablets--Effective in removing most biological pollutants; available at drugstores.

INFANTS

The following items should be on hand for babies, says Dr. Neil Kaufman, head of ambulatory pediatrics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center:

* Extra packages of disposable diapers.

* Water and other liquids. (“Babies can live without food for several days,” he says, “but they need a minimum of 1 1/2 ounces of liquid per pound each day.”)

* At least a three-day supply of ready-made formula.

* An extra supply of baby food. If you run out, it’s perfectly fine for parents to chew up food for their infants.

* An adequate supply of food for breast-feeding mothers. (“Nursing moms should add 20% to 30% more calories and hydration to the average adult requirements,” Kaufman says.)

PETS

According to Warren Eckstein, host of KABC-AM radio pet show, you should:

* Make sure your pet has an ID tag with both your home telephone number and that of a relative in a different area.

* Make sure your pet’s license is up-to-date.

* Make sure your pet’s earthquake kit includes leashes, collars, a pet carrier in case of evacuation, a few days of food and water, and a fresh supply of any special medications.

* Keep medical records on file.

* Have your veterinarian’s phone number handy.

* Establish a relationship with a fellow pet lover in the neighborhood. In case you are not home, there will be someone to help your animal.

* Have the telephone numbers of humane organizations in your area.

FIRST AID

Here’s what you’ll need:

* Prescription medication.

* Antibiotic rub.

* Pain reliever/aspirin.

* Anti-diarrhea medicine.

* Laxatives.

* Anti-gas medicine.

* Dressing materials, including bandages, gauze pads, Ace bandages, tape.

MONEY

Make sure you have cash on hand. ATMs rely on computers and a continued supply of cash, both of which are affected during major quakes. Merchants may not accept personal checks. Credit cards could also become useless if the electronic network is out of commission.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

According to Capt. Ron Leydecker of the Los Angeles City Fire Department, many common household products pose a risk of fire or accidental poisoning after a quake. Here’s what you should do beforehand:

* Common household cleaners--such as chlorine bleach, ammonia and oven cleaner--should be stored in a safe place.

* Keep quantities small and stored in plastic bottles away from ignition sources and living areas.

* Chemicals should be secured so they won’t tip over in a quake, and locked up so that children and pets can’t get access.

* Flammable liquids such as paints should be stored in the garage, but away from such appliances as the hot water heater and furnace.

NEIGHBORS

In Scotts Valley, an isolated area near the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, advance planning by a group of residents saved houses and possibly lives. The neighbors learned each other’s house layouts, and exchanged keys and telephone numbers. They set up caches of food, water and emergency supplies. Stephanie Mann, author of “Safe Homes, Safe Neighborhoods” (Nolo Press, 1993) offers advice on organizing:

Q. Why are neighbors important after an earthquake?

A. There’s a lot that neighbors can do for each other. They may rescue your child or pull you out of debris. It’s important that you know that you may have a doctor, nurse or firefighter in the neighborhood. You also need to help your neighbors. If one house goes, the whole block can go.

Q. How can neighbors organize?

A. All 20 houses in my area of Orinda have an emergency neighborhood map with names, phone numbers and symbols for gas and electricity. We have all agreed that a red symbol on the mailbox indicates a problem and a white symbol indicates that everything is OK.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

* According to the California Office of Emergency Services, documents should be stored safely in a fireproof storage box or safe deposit box, a freezer (with documents tightly sealed in a freezer bag), or with an out-of-town contact’s residence (send copies, not originals).

* To expedite insurance claims, keep both a written inventory of personal belongings and receipts for major items.

* Other papers to store include Social Security cards, birth certificates, marriage and death records, drivers licenses, credit cards, insurance policies, income tax returns, mortgage or rental receipts, paycheck stubs, deeds, stocks and bonds, savings and checking account books, wills, health history and recent photos of family members.