Bay Area LIFE: How to prepare for the next big quake

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Help keep your family safe! Find out how you can prepare for the next big quake.

The earthquake risk is real in California and all Bay Area communities face the risk of damages from a quake. It's not a matter of "if," but a matter of "when."

California is earthquake country, with more than 2,000 known faults crisscrossing the state, and most Californians live within 30 miles of an active fault. USGS Deputy Director of the Earthquake Science Center Keith Knudsen, says there's roughly a 2 in 3 chance of a magnitude 6.7 earthquake or larger, that will affect in the Bay Area, sometime in the next 30 years.

There are many ways to prepare. People can prepare for an earthquake by creating a disaster-preparedness plan and also putting together emergency supplies for your home, work or car. Another way to prepare for an earthquake disaster is by purchasing earthquake insurance to help repair, replace, rebuild and recover.

ABC7 has partnered with the California Earthquake Authority, or CEA, one of the world's largest providers of residential earthquake insurance, to help keep your family safe. The CEA encourages California homeowners and renters to reduce their risk of earthquake damage and loss through education, mitigation, and insurance policies to help repair and rebuild damaged homes, and replace valuables and personal belongings. The CEA is not for profit, privately funded, publicly managed and not tied to the state budget.

For more information, click here. To learn about seven steps to earthquake safety, click here.