I do have earthquake experience...
First, a lot of people think "my home will collapse" in an earthquake. Chances are, it won't. I mean, there's always a few buildings that do, but by and large structures usually have some part still standing. For those whose home truly collapses, well, they're typically dead under it (obvious exceptions occur). Even in the Landers quake in CA in ~1992, that apartment building that collapsed, collapsed onto a carport. Most of the living areas were intact. Building codes in most American earthquake areas are pretty good.
It is true that properly built wood frame houses do pretty well in earhquakes. They tend to flex and bend, rather than collapse. Also, because they are relatively light weight and generally only one or two stories high they don't resonate so much with the shaking. The main part of my current home was built prior to the 1964 Alaska earthquake, and survived just fine (long before I lived here). Even wood frame houses can often be improved with seismic retro-fits. Taller steel frame buildings also generally do pretty well. Brick, cement block, and other masonry buildings, especially multi-story ones, very often don't do so good in earthquakes, and sometimes do collapse.
Building codes in California have gradually improved with regards to earthquakes, at least since 1906. However, even in California buildings do collapse, especially older ones. In the 1971 M6.6 San Fernando (aka Sylmar) earthquake, part of the VA hospital built before 1933 collapsed and many people died. California building codes have been made tougher several times over the years. Other places outside of California have not necessarily had good seismic building codes. For example, until fairly recently the Pacific Northwest was not thought to have much risk of earthquakes. Prior to the last decade or so building codes in the PNW were not up to the same seismic standards as California. Hence many buildings were built without much regard for earthquakes.
Fire is, IMO, a much greater concern after an earthquake. Like I said, if your home is destroyed, you're usually dead too and have nothing to worry about.
Fire for sure is a problem after an earthquake. However, it is entirely possible your home might be destroyed and you survive. A typical earhquake fire scenario might be: 1. Quake shakes house and seriously damages it, but does not totally destroy it. 2. When shaking stops you run outside. 3. Damage includes ruptured natural gas line. 4. Leaking gas finds a spark. 5. You stand outside and watch your house and survival gear burn up.
Either way, good point about spreading your supplies. It doesn't even have to be different locations, just different parts of the house. My parents for example, have a kitchen pantry, backpacking stuff in the garage, and my dad's wine shed with about 400 gallons of wine and a generator outside the house.
Guess which one he's worried about losing the most?
As a wine drinker, I like your dad's priorities! I hope it is red wine?
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