A less disruptive way to heed predictions would be to have an RV in the driveway or elsewhere on your property. Some people have enormous houses that take up most of the lot but many could safely have an RV in the driveway or backyard and not have to worry about the house collapsing and burying the entire property.

Then if you have a hunch, or prediction, that an earthquake is imminent you can at least sleep in the RV for a week or two without fear of rafters falling on your head. You could still chance a shower and meal prep in your home, or even a couple hours watching TV.

That only protects you at home. There's still the matter, for many people, of being at a workplace or elsewhere when a quake occurs. Most peops can't just telecommute when they feel like it. But while at work they could at least take care to have a "get home bag" or BOB within easy reach so they could grab it and run for safety (or dive under their desk) the moment an earthquake begins.

After 9/11 and the subsequent anthrax attacks I never again went to a meeting out of my office without my purse. I have considered the probability that DC will experience other, bigger attacks in the future. Perhaps it is prudent to leave now, or when news reports indicate worldwide tensions are increasing or DHS issues an alert. But I'm unlikely to evacuate because of a tenuous possibility or if a rodent is acting odd.

Let me rephrase that, I actually am prone to vacate the house if I see a rat -- but only long enough to call an exterminator.